Having established itself as the de facto leader and dictator to the ruling ANC-led tripartite alliance, Cosatu is battling to come to terms with the reality that it will not always have its way in the broad church that is the ANC.
With the ANC being the only ruling party in the world to house African nationalists, trade unionists, communists, liberals and other political ideologues under one roof, the battle of ideas is a daily pastime.
At times, with African traditionalists flexing their muscles, you would be forgiven for mistaking an ANC branch meeting for an Inkatha Freedom Party gathering.
Managing the alliance — ANC, SA Communist Party, Cosatu, and the SA Civics Organisation — therefore has become a full-time job.
More so under the leadership of President Jacob Zuma who believes in allowing the alliance partners space to let off steam regularly.
He learnt from his predecessor and political nemesis Thabo Mbeki that suffocating these players — some of them nothing more than parasites on the ANC — by stifling debate has the potential to raise the political tectonic force, described by Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi as a political tsunami.
The forces will gather again for the alliance summit this weekend with Esselen Park, in Ekurhuleni, as the battlefield.
At the top of the agenda is the political storm around National Planning Minister Trevor Manuel whom Cosatu has described as using his position to elevate himself into a de facto prime minister.
Also on the agenda is the review of South Africa’s response to the global economic crisis, the upheavals in ANC-led municipalities at local government level and the very nature of the alliance.
Zuma and ANC secretary-general general Gwede Mantashe will lead the delegation from Luthuli House, while SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande will lead the modern-day upwardly mobile communists.
Vavi, who leads a wounded delegation of trade unionists, has vowed to push for the rulers to clip Manuel’s wings.
The alliance summit also marks the return of forgotten players like Ruth Bhengu, the disgraced former ANC MP who confessed to stealing public funds in the infamous Travelgate scandal.
Her political star is rising as she returns to centre stage as member of the ANC national executive committee, a deputy mayor of Ugu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast and leader of Sanco.
The summit comes as nationalists appear to have their tails in the air having successfully rejected Cosatu’s suggestion that Manuel was using his position to create “kitchen cabinets” inside Zuma’s kraal.
Closing Cosatu’s national general congress in September, Vavi charged: “We are opposed to the fragmentation of the state through building of fiefdoms or kitchen cabinets within the state. For that reason, we call for the withdrawal of the Green Paper on Strategic Planning. That said, Cosatu is not opposed to a discussion that clearly articulates a coherent planning process and machinery to ensure an effective state. We object to the marginalisation of the alliance and other key ministries in shaping this policy intervention prior to its public release. This is reminiscent of the past, where Cosatu and the alliance were like ordinary NGOs and not allies. This contemptuous attitude flies against the spirit of the recent alliance summit and engagement.”
Zuma refused to budge. And Manuel remains in charge — for now.
In our interview this week, Vavi seemed to suggest the nationalists who endorsed Manuel as chairman of the commission, may have won a battle but the war is still on.
The war cry being, “Siyohlangan’ eEsselen Park”.
Vavi told the Sowetan that the two-million strong labour force was hoping for victory by the time the delegates leave the Ekurhuleni venue.
“We are saying it would be wrong for one minister to be made a prime minister and for cabinet ministers to have no role in the national planning commission.
“In its current form as proposed, the NPC takes away the responsibilities of other ministers. Our other concern is that we never meant for the NPC to formulate policy. These are some of the things we will raise at the alliance summit.”
Since Zuma took over as president, Cosatu has successfully convinced him to allow the labour federation’s former national executive committee member, Ebrahim Patel, who is now the minister of economic development, to drive the implementation of the government’s micro and macro economic policies.
Zuma also winked at Cosatu’s suggestion that he should rule until 2017.
The federation also cowed the Zuma government into approving double-digit salary increases for public servants despite the raging global economic crisis.
It was these early victories that made Cosatu think it could be the tail that wags the dog.
* This piece is published with acknowledgment to and with respect for my employer — Sowetan Newspaper — which owns copyrights to my writings!
The SACP is hanging on the coattail of the ANC and has no power. This meeting like most meetings like this are overblown by the press in SA. COSATU on the other hand has the members but, there are division within the rank on their relation with the ANC led government. The DA was able to get more votes in the last election than COSATU, SACP and the ANCYL combine. If JZ had not ran for president, the ANC would have lost KZN province. This a province that refused to vote for Mandela when he led the ANC election in 1994.
These three groups of people mentioned in the above article have no where to go at this point.
Yet, another ‘analyst’ pretending to know the ANC-Alliance better than the previous one….
Ja, ne !
Thanks for the article. It was a very interesting and informative read.
How much of their energy do ANC leaders have to put into maintaining this alliance? Surely, that energy would be better spent getting on with the job for which they were voted into government. I don’t understand the importance of an alliance with unelected organisations with conflicting ideologies. Maybe it made sense during the struggle, but that is no over.
Can we call all the other indigenous people of the country “Africans” too? Or are only the amaBantu indigenous?
And, seeing as all humanity originated in the African cradle of humanity, are all people of any race not equally entitled to be called “Africans” too? Or can only a Bantu make that claim?
Please advise.
Jean, I am not sure if struggles will ever be over in SA. Not because of follow-up causes but rather because being in “struggle mode” is the comfort zone of so many South Africans!
@ Siphiwo – Trust me I am not claiming to understand the ANC or its alliance partners.
I am paid to study it and reflect on it though.
I think there is a problem in this country where people think journalists, by virtue of doing their jobs, are trying to claim monopoly on wisdom.
Maybe this is a new trend to intimidate journalists from writing about the ANC – it’s the same foolish argument Pres Thabo Mbeki made when Arch Desmond Tutu accused him of stifling debate in the organisation. Mbeki said Tutu – because he is not a member of the ANC and does not sit in any of its structures – had no idea what happens inside the ANC! Hogwash! Day in and day out people tell us ( reporters); “You don’t have a clue what happens inside the ANC.” If – after five decades in the organisation – Mbeki could mis-read the ANC, then who can claim to know the ANC? Look at how Terror Lekota & others misread the mood in the ANC – assuming the anger over Mbeki’s ill-treatement would be enough to split the party. It wasn’t! Hardly 6 months into office Pres JZ was busy trying to stop service delivery protests! Cosatu members in the WC admit to voting for Helen Zille – that’s the beast that is the ANC my friend! Give us your views instead of being dismissive of other people’s!
@Zukile…I agree with U the media and the public at large should not be intimidated by ANC and the alliance that we should not scrutinise them..As long ANC is in government we will continue to question their decisions and their prounouncements on issues that have a direct effect on us as society.
We must not forget that even the journalist themselves come from the communities and see and witness the same things that a normal citizen sees and experience..The question is not who knows ANC and the Alliance better…Rather we should be asking the relevance and importance of the alliance post the struggle. At times even the alliance members change the goal post with regard to the alliance.
As a nation we should refrain from the view that only whites can be critical of ANC, if the black people we do we are labelled counter revolutionaries or representing the views of our masters as garden boys..Actually the most critical debates should start within the ANC itself. I thought that was the whole rationale of having NEC, NWC sittings not to nurse comrades egos.
It sad that even post-polokwane there is still a notion that if you differ with your comrades is equivalent to dissent..most stalwards like Kader Asmal is only now that they become vocal on many issues within the ANC.
Zukile,
Very informative and excellent answer to the pesky shoot from the hip Sipiwho!
@Siphiwo, it happen just like I said it would happen. These groups got no where to go.
Another enemy of the revolution. Siphiwo is right. Siphiwo is always right. You cannot criticize JZ and the ANC or Malema.