Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
29 July 2024 | 22:09 SAST
1-minute read

Image: Tewusa

The registration of the Teachers and Education Workers Union of SA (Tewusa), which disgruntled Saftu members formed in the name of MK, has been rejected by the labour registrar.

While Tewusa’s formation can be seen as part of former President Jacob Zuma’s plan to disrupt the ANC and its alliance partners, it does not pose a major threat to unions such as Cosatu and Sadtu yet.

“Maybe in a few years, maybe down the road, if they’re able to build their membership and be able to become effective, then they could become a more labour-related competition… But at this stage, it’s way too early,” political analyst Dr Dale Mckinley said during an interview on Radio Islam International.

Overall, there has been a gradual decline of trade unions in South Africa over the past few years, particularly because of a stagnant economy and the high degree of casualisation in our workforce.

While the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has also been weakened in the past due to several rocky events, it has stabilised and is most likely to hold its political affiliations as they are, pending the outcomes and effects of the GNU on workers and Cosatu’s relations with the ANC.

Cosatu would do well to focus on rebuilding and reinforcing its organisation, Dr McKinley noted, because regardless of who is in power, workers need to be able to unite to champion workers’ rights.

“If you split and break and start moving and forming new trade unions, you’re going to weaken the trade union movement overall, which is true, at least in the short term,” he said.

Listen to the full interview on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Habib Bobat.