COSATU National Congress to resume after disputes over credentials

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) 15th National Congress is expected to resume on Tuesday after it stalled on Monday due to disputes over credentials.

Several affiliates, including the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), withheld credentials in protest over the suspension of first deputy president Mike Shingange.

VIDEO | Delegates from 16 affiliate unions expected to vote for Cosatu’s leadership: Shingange, who is also the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) president and a favourite for the Cosatu presidency, was suspended for not signing leadership nomination documents.

Cosatu Parliamentary Coordinator Matthew Parks says, “We hope it will start today (Tuesday), we’re meant to reconvene at 9 o’clock this morning.

We’re confident that we can resolve this issue.

The central executive committee of Cosatu, which is the leadership of the federation and the different affiliated unions, met until late last night, working on resolving these issues and finding common ground.

So, we are confident and hope that indeed we will do so, and will be able to report back to the plenary this morning.” Below is the full interview with COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, Matthew Parks: