COSATU parliamentary co-ordinator Matthew Parks says the federation’s longstanding support for the ANC will be tested at its upcoming congress as the SACP prepares to contest the elections independently.
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COSATU’s longstanding commitment to support the ANC at elections is facing its biggest test as the SACP prepares to contest the 2026 local government elections independently, with the federation’s final position to be decided at its congress in two weeks.
COSATU parliamentary co-ordinator Matthew Parks said the federation still had a standing resolution to support the ANC, the leader of the Tripartite Alliance, but the SACP’s decision to contest the elections had complicated its position.
“We have a standing resolution to support our ally, the ANC, the leader of the alliance, at elections. That hasn't changed,” Parks said in an interview with Newzroom Afrika.
“But what is different this time is that the SACP, our other ally, is also contesting state power and is also contesting elections. That makes it a little bit more complicated.”
Parks said the final decision would be made at COSATU’s congress after affiliated unions consulted their members and obtained mandates.
“Some unions have got a mandate to support the ANC. Others have got a mandate to support the SACP,” he said.
The congress could decide to maintain its existing position of supporting the ANC, switch to support the SACP, or find a way to support both parties.
Despite the uncertainty, Parks said COSATU would remain part of the Tripartite Alliance and remain loyal to both parties.
“But I think what we're confident is that no matter what, we will remain within the alliance. We will remain loyal allies to both the ANC and the SACP,” he said.
Parks described the current period as a difficult one for COSATU as tensions between the ANC and SACP continue.
“COSATU basically is the child, so to speak, of the ANC, (and) the SACP to an extent. And when our parents are fighting, as the article indicates, it's the children who suffer,” he said.
COSATU had spent the past year engaging on the tensions and had been trying to encourage the ANC and SACP to resolve their differences.
Parks said a COSATU central committee meeting had mandated its leadership to engage both parties on tensions within the alliance, reconfiguring the alliance and finding common arrangements ahead of the elections.
He said COSATU believed the alliance remained important to advancing workers’ interests.
“We still think the alliance is the best political vehicle to defend workers and to advance working class struggles.”
Parks said the federation’s priority was to ensure political differences did not divide its members.
“The unity of COSATU workers is sacrosanct. So that is a critical guiding principle, because we can't afford to be divided by political parties.”
The formation of the Government of National Unity after the ANC lost its majority in 2024 had added another challenge for the alliance.
COSATU preferred an ANC majority or an ANC minority government, but accepted the election outcome.
“Ultimately, voters voted how they wanted to vote, and the results reflect the views of society,” Parks said, adding that COSATU had increasingly needed to engage parties outside the alliance as coalition politics became more prominent.
This did not mean the federation supported those parties, but that it had to engage with them when legislation affected workers.
“We do want to see the Alliance reclaim its leadership role in society. We do want to see the ANC being renewed.
''We want to see the SACP being strengthened. And we want to see how to reconfigure and really strengthen and unite the Alliance,” he said.
Parks said addressing unemployment, poverty, inequality, crime and failing public and municipal services was key to rebuilding public confidence.
“The fastest way to rebuild that confidence in society is to deliver what society expects government to deliver.”
Many ANC voters had not necessarily moved to other parties, but had instead stopped voting.
“They haven't gone to other parties, but they've lost hope,” Parks said, adding COSATU was confident its congress would find common ground despite the different positions among affiliates.
However, he acknowledged that COSATU could not determine how individual members would vote.
“When you go to the ballot box, you go there as an individual. There is no COSATU sitting with you,” Parks said.
He said the federation could seek to persuade its members and workers, but recognised that it might not always succeed.
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