By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
It is often said there is no such thing as a free lunch.
But that is exactly what ANC alliance partners Cosatu and the SA Communist Party (SACP) are demanding of the ANC as it prepares its list of potential members of Parliament and provincial legislatures.
The ruling party’s list conference taking place in Boksburg is a battleground, with various interest groups pulling in different directions.
In the end, the final list that will implement President Cyril Ramaphosa’s vision will be the product of compromises reached between these groupings in the ANC’s so-called “broad church”.
Cosatu is the richest and best-resourced member of the ruling tripartite alliance, with some 2.1-million members who become ANC foot soldiers during its election campaigns.
The powerful centre-left union federation does not only expect positions in Ramaphosa’s cabinet and government but also demands policy shifts in the labour sector and state-owned companies.
Cosatu has been squeezing the government not to abandon coal but rather to extend the lifespan of Eskom’s coal-fired power stations.
Gwede Mantashe, a former unionist who was propelled by the force of the unions to the powerful position of ANC chairperson and mineral resources and energy minister, is the main driver of the unions’ aspirations.
Thulas Nxesi, the employment and labour minister, is a former unionist deployed in government to ensure the state maintains a pro-labour stance.
His recent achievements include the increase in the minimum wage, the ever-ballooning state wage bill and other tough labour laws that have been criticised for making it difficult for businesses to absorb job seekers.
The less powerful SACP, which was once called the think-tank and vanguard of the alliance partnership, has also earned some influential positions in Ramaphosa’s government.
Its long-serving secretary Blade Nzimande is the higher education minister while former SACP youth wing leader Buti Manamela is deputy minister in the same department.
That department’s power and largess include the now controversial distribution of the R47-billion National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
The ANC has a standing conference resolution to ensure its final list has a 50% representation of women.
The ANC Youth League is also demanding a so-called “generational mix” in Parliament and provincial legislatures.
South Africans will be waiting to see how many comrades with fraud and corruption baggage will be able to squeeze themselves into Parliament and the legislatures.
There is a lot at stake as the basic salary of a member of a provincial legislature tops R1-million, excluding benefits like allowances for a car, housing, travel, and phones.
Members of Parliament earn between R1-million and R3-million, depending on their parliamentary responsibilities such as chairing various subcommittees.
Pictured above: Cosatu.
Image source: ActionSA
