Diamond Fields Advertiser reports that delegates to Cosatu’s upcoming national congress in September are expected to decide on whether to add more affiliates to the federation’s more than a dozen trade unions.  

Among the potential new affiliates is the Agriculture, Food and Allied Democratic Workers’ Union (Afadwu), a breakaway from the Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Fawu), which abandoned the country’s biggest federation two years ago.  Fawu, with about 124,000 members, is now the SA Federation of Trade Unions’ (Saftu’s) second biggest affiliate.  Afadwu’s interim general secretary is Thupudi Mabunele, who was formerly the principal officer of Fawu’s provident fund.  He indicated that Afadwu intended replacing Fawu as Cosatu’s affiliate in the food sector including farms, nurseries, retail, fishing, food processing and beverage manufacturing industries.  Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said there were a number of unions that had applied to be admitted as affiliates, including Afadwu and the SA Emergency Personnel’s Union (Saepu).  He indicated that there were a number of considerations to be made before the potential affiliates were accepted, including avoiding competition among affiliates.

• Read this report by Loyiso Sidimba in full at DFA

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page