By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ANC national chair and mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe has been booed off stage by delegates attending the Cosatu national 14th elective congress on Monday.
Cosatu kicked off its 14th national congress on Monday, in Johannesburg, where it was expected to discuss policy and elect new leadership.
Cosatu, which was formed in December 1985, is South Africa’s biggest trade union federation and is in alliance with the governing ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP).
Mantashe was about to deliver a message of support on behalf of the governing party when delegates stormed the podium and started singing.
Delegates sang “Asinamali (we have no money)” and “Hamba Gwede (leave Gwede)” until he was forced to leave the stage.
Mantashe who appeared unconcerned by the rejection, sang along before he was escorted off the stage by ANC national executive members Mmamaloko Kubayi, and Lindiwe Zulu, and security.
They are blaming ANC for failing to address the labour, living, and economic crisis.
Some of the key issues that are expected to be discussed by delegates at the conference include the country’s high unemployment rate, energy crisis and the recent fuel price hikes that are contributing to the high cost of living for workers and South Africans, in general.
Trade Union Nehawu which wished Cosatu well ahead of the congress said: “The congress takes place when the state of our National Democratic Revolution [NDR] has reached a crisis point of stagnation.
“Our NDR faces great challenges that have decisive implications on national development and the national transformation project.
“The current state of the NDR has obvious implications for the socialist project of the left axis”.
Nehawu also said the congress was taking place at a time when workers and the working-class in general were confronted by the persistent crisis of capitalism which had worsened poverty, unemployment and inequalities.
Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi was on Monday nominated unopposed to again lead the labour federation movement.
Losi made history four years ago when she was elected as Cosatu’s first female leader, after taking over the reins from Sdumo Dlamini.
She received support from seven of Cosatu’s 11 affiliates.
Losi enjoyed the backing of some of the federation’s biggest unions, including the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), and the Public and Allied Workers Union of South Africa.
Cosatu’s first deputy president Mike Shingange looked set to retain his position, while general secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, did not receive any nominations and Solly Phetoe was expected to replace him.