COSATU KwaZulu-Natal secretary Edwin Mkhize has welcomed the African National Congress’s decision to appoint a new provincial task team in the province, describing the move as a sign of necessary introspection and a commitment to improving leadership.
However, Mkhize cautioned that the renewal process must not fuel further factionalism within the movement.
Speaking after the ANC unveiled the new provincial task team ahead of local elections, Mkhize said the new structures should reflect the kind of leaders capable of steering the organisation forward. He described the process as critical but stressed that careful analysis was needed to determine what the party is trying to achieve.
“We must appreciate the change, but we also need to raise our view,” Mkhize said. He noted concerns that a task team had previously been put in place, and now another task team is being configured.
Mkhize stated that COSATU’s expectation is that the process of renewal and rebuilding, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, cannot collapse into factionalism. “If that happens, then we have not achieved,” he said.
He added that the party must deal with issues around the control of resources, where resources are sometimes used to advance factionalism and control. “Comrades who do not have access to resources — if you are rebuilding and renewing using materials that could end up marginalising some comrades who can contribute quality towards the building process — you must also deal with revolutionary principles,” Mkhize said.
He further emphasised the importance of political education within the movement, noting that traditional ways of the movement are no longer relevant to the youth growing up within the organisation. “Political education is important, depending on its purpose,” he said.
Turning to labour matters ahead of Workers’ Day, Mkhize said COSATU would monitor and launch programmes addressing workers’ issues, including the tax regime, abuse of immigration laws, and ensuring workers are able to participate internationally. He called on workers to turn out in numbers for rallies in various provinces.
“We need to deal with the issues so that we can have their support behind us in the programmes we are going to implement,” Mkhize said.