COSATU says it wasn't part of negotiations in ongoing GNU talks

JOHANNESBURG - The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has called on the African National Congress (ANC) to consult its alliance partners on the ongoing power-sharing talks in the Government of National Unity (GNU).

The trade union federation revealed during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Monday that it wasn't afforded the opportunity to make inputs on negotiations.

COSATU and the South African Communist Party (SACP) have been in alliance with the ANC for over three decades.

It said that it hasn't contributed much on anything related to the GNU including the horse-trading for ministerial positions.

The union federation's Mike Shingange said that COSATU was only briefed after the GNU's statement of intent.

"We want to separate being briefed and being consulted because those are two different things. So, when you are consulted, it doesn't mean your views must be taken into considering but at least you were asked for your views. But we were briefed about the statement of intent."

He said that the union federation has made peace with the ANC's decision to work with its political rivals.

"We knew that once we go to the Government of National Unity, there would be no way we can exclude the Democratic Alliance."

Meanwhile, there is still no clarity on when the new cabinet will be announced.