The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has thrown its weight behind Premier Panyaza Lesufi, following the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng’s tabling of a motion of no confidence against the Premier, shockingly labelling him as a “beacon of decisive leadership.”
This demonstrates that the trade union has taken sides, seemingly prioritising the protection of politicians over thousands of unemployed Gauteng residents whose circumstances have worsened because of Lesufi’s poor job creation programmes and failure to deal with corruption.
The DA calls on COSATU to reconsider its stance, as history will hold it accountable for choosing political loyalty over the needs of the people.
In its statement, COSATU notes that the Public Protector (PP) did not find the Premier guilty of financial mismanagement or corruption. Instead, the findings centre on the Department of Community Safety acting inconsistently with Sections 41(1)(h) and (g) of the Constitution.
The problem with this statement is that it is driven by a desire to nitpick. The DA’s motion focuses not only on the PP’s revelations on Amapanyaza but also on a broad range of other issues, including the Premier’s failure to release all the forensic investigative reports, address corruption in the Tembisa hospital corruption saga and hold those implicated accountable.
COSATU further suggests that the PP has already prescribed remedial action and expects the Premier to use his constitutional powers under Section 125 to ensure that “option 3” of the TC report is implemented within 180 days.
While this is a reasonable expectation, the trade union should remember that the Premier is known for ignoring investigative reports and failing to implement their recommendations. It took years to release the 2018 BDO and Bowmans reports on mismanagement in the Gauteng Department of Social Development, and the recommendations have still not been implemented.
What leads COSATU to believe that the PP’s recommendations on Amapanyaza will be any different?
Furthermore, COSATU’s statement is misleading in claiming that Lesufi pursues policies that address the province’s most pressing challenges, “from combating unemployment to rooting out corruption and spearheading innovative infrastructure projects.”
The reality is that we are sitting with a failed project, Amapanyaza, which has brought more pain than relief to unemployed citizens. This failure significantly undermines COSATU’s claim. Surely, a progressive leader should be able to assess, or at least anticipate, whether a project will yield a lasting positive impact before implementing it.
Moreover, a leader genuinely committed to addressing unemployment would not have prioritised a gimmick like Amapanyaza without proper consultation. Nor would they have ignored warnings from the then Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, that the programme was illegal, or the DA’s questions regarding its source of funding.
The DA challenges COSATU to cite even a few innovative infrastructure projects successfully spearheaded by Lesufi, as we currently have over 40 abandoned projects that have cost Gauteng billions of rand and have not been completed within budget or on time. These are not just projects; they are homes for over 1 million Gauteng residents, some of whom have been waiting for housing since 1996.
It is also worth asking why the so-called champion of progressive policies is refusing to implement the Hostel Redevelopment Plan, which would enable the upgrading of all 65 Gauteng hostels.
COSATU should stop being selective in its judgment, as this approach only serves to confuse other political parties, trade unions, faith-based organisations, and the Gauteng citizenry. Lesufi has insisted on Amapanyaza, a project doomed from its inception, and must be held accountable for his actions.
He has not addressed corruption in the province, despite whistleblowers presenting credible information that required action from him. People have died both because of his ill-conceived Amapanyaza project and his failure to address corruption exposed under his watch.
A self-respecting trade union that understands its mandate would put politics aside and support this motion for the benefit of our people, who are in desperate need of jobs and improved service delivery hampered by corruption and impunity.
There is nothing frivolous about a motion aimed at freeing Gauteng from a leader who has overseen a period of severe corruption and failed to work collaboratively with businesses to create jobs.
The DA in Gauteng stands in solidarity with residents and everyone who believes that the disruption of people’s lives by Lesufi’s choices was unjustified and motivated solely by a desire for political gain.
History will undoubtedly hold accountable those who chose to turn a blind eye to protect him.