Financial disclosures reveal mounting arrears, with six unions accounting for R18.2-million in unpaid solidarity fees
Cosatu’s affiliates owe the trade union federation more than R52 million in subscription fees including payments for elections, delegates to its delayed national congress learnt this week. The congress elected Mike Shingange as president and Zingisa Losi as general secretary after it was delayed last month because its previous gathering did not form a quorum.
In its financial report presented to the congress, Cosatu reported the amount due by affiliates by the end of the financial year. It said there was a shortfall of 24% for 2023, 31% for 2024 and 38% for 2025 on the income anticipated to be received from affiliates.
The federation said that contrary to the deficit, there was potential to operate at surplus if the amounts due were taken into account.
As of December 31, 2025, the total amount owed by affiliates was R33 909 521. This included R727 170 for the shop steward journal, R89 493 for the election levy and R1 147 034 for public sector fees.
Cosatu indicated that affiliate debts constituted 38% of the total income for the period under review. For solidarity fees, affiliates such as the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (Ceppwawu); South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu); Agricultural Food and Allied Democratic Workers Union (Afadwu); Communication Workers Union (CWU); National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union; and the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union were among the biggest debtors, owing R18.2m out of a combined R52.1m.
Cosatu noted that Ceppwawu has been under administration for the past five years while the CWU had leadership problems for years. However, the two unions were preparing for their congresses and had started to make their monthly payments.
The federation’s central executive committee (CEC) decided that there must be a decision at the congress regarding the relevance of the levies, including the solidarity levy, public sector levy and election levy.
The election levy is income received from affiliates to assist with election campaigns during the year of the elections.
Cosatu further noted that in the previous local government elections its CEC adopted a resolution to contribute a levy that was proportionally calculated according to the membership size of each union.
The fund assists the federation to finance its own campaigns in support of an ANC victory in elections.
Cosatu also embarked on fundraising initiatives in the form of a golf day, which raised funds for the federation to give back to communities. The inaugural golf day was held in December 2024 and raised roughly R2.1m.
Last year, more that R2.32m was raised and three schools in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo benefited from the initiative. Around 1 600 learners received school shoes, sanitary towels, body lotions, face cloths, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Cosatu has just over 1.5 million members but five of its 16 affiliates — Satawu, Afadwu, CWU, the Public and Allied Workers Union of South Africa and Ceppwawu — are not in good standing.
The federation also reaffirmed the SA Communist Party (SACP) as its most strategic ally in the struggle for socialism.
“Cosatu and the SACP need to guard against the relegation of key working-class struggles around the triple challenges to the least of the priorities of the ANC government.
“These efforts, however, demand a clear programme to unify the working-class, strengthen both of their organisational capacities and broaden mobilisation of other Left forces around a common programme against major campaigns,” the federation stated.
It said the SACP had resolved to work together with it to build a powerful socialist movement of the workers and the poor, which resonated well with its past national congress resolution of a Left popular front.
“Cosatu still feels that the SACP has to, in the short or medium term, consider contesting state power in order to propel our NDR (national democratic revolution) struggle and further achieve our socialist objectives.” The federation continued: “This means that the working-class as a custodian of our revolution must drive developmental projects in communities in favour of its interest.
“This practically means that both Cosatu and SACP, through their local structures, should revive and lead all organs of people’s power such as civic structures, policing forums, know-your-neighbour campaigns, unemployed mobilisation and education, health and other components of socio-economic campaigns”.
Cosatu’s national congress elected Susan Khumalo as first deputy president and Mbali Blose as second deputy president .
Gerald Twala remains deputy general secretary. Kgomotso Makhupola was elected national treasurer.