Cosatu unions divided over ANC and SACP support ahead of municipal elections

Ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections in South Africa, Cosatu-affiliated unions are divided between supporting the ANC, the South African Communist Party (SACP), or neither. A resolution at Cosatu’s 15th National Congress calls for backing the ANC where it is strong and the SACP where it is strong. In Limpopo, the municipal workers’ union Samwu is campaigning for the ANC, saying the SACP is not visible on the ground. Samwu president Nkhetheni Muthavhi says the position follows Cosatu’s guidance that affiliates should back whichever party has the stronger chance of winning in a particular area.