'You can persuade workers but they can vote for anybody': Shilowa on labour unions' task ahead of elections
Trade unions have a big task on their hands convincing workers to vote for their alliance partner, the ANC, said Mbhazima Shilowa, adding that the ANC’s loss of some metros is indicative of how some union members may be feeling.
JOHANNESBURG - Former Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa, who was also the secretary general of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) said labour federations have their work cut out for them in convincing members to vote with alliance partners.
This is ahead of fast approaching 2024 general elections.
Speaking to 702 earlier on Sunday, Shilowa said the ANC’s loss of some metros is indicative of how some union members may be feeling.
“It was important, I think even now it’s important that to an extent that trade unions take to mobilise for this or that particular party, they will have to work a little bit more harder because the reason why the ANC would have lost metros in Gauteng and in Eastern Cape, in terms of Nelson Mandela.
"In my view, it must mean that a reasonable or sizeable number of workers or working people have decided we are not going to vote the way our trade unions say we should.”
He said trade unions have a big task on their hands.
“I think that all that the organisations, in this instance, COSATU would have said is that they prefer that because they remain in alliance with the ANC and the [South African] Communist Party that workers should vote for ANC.
"Obviously, they’ll go out and mobilise for it but in the end, they too know that you can ask workers, you can persuade them but once they get into the booth alone, they can vote for anybody.”