Étreinte persistante : la COSATU et l'Alliance tripartite durant l'ère Zuma

• Published in: Labour capital and society Vol. 44; no. 2; p. 56
• Main Author: Pillay, Devan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Montréal St Marys University 01-07-2011
• Subjects: Capitalism; Civil liberties; Civil society; Consumption; Corruption; Independence movements; Inequality; Labor unions; Local elections; Middle class; Militancy; Nationalization; Patronage; Political activism; Political alliances; Political leadership; Politics; Presidents; Social activism; Society; Union leadership; Workers; Working class
• ISSN: 0706-1706

Since 1990, when the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) formally drew the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) into a Tripartite Alliance in pursuit of their strategy of "national democratic revolution", the federation has gradually moved from a more robust "social movement unionism " towards a narrower form of party-led "political unionism". While retaining its independence and continuing to engage in policy contestation on issues inside and outside the workplace, COSATU has not dared to push the envelope too far, and forge links with social movements antagonistic toward the ANC. Nor has it had much success in shaping ANC policy. Rather than build an alternative counter-hegemonic Left project, COSATU has chosen to "swell the ranks" of the ANC, and support the Jacob Zuma-ANC 'faction, helping usher Zuma into power as ANC president in 2007, and as South African president in 2009. Despite some indications of a move towards a more interventionist "developmental state", the ANC remains basically committed to a conservative economic policy. This, plus rising inequality, widespread poverty, unemployment and corruption, and ANC threats to civil liberties, has increased tensions between COSATU and the ANC, as well as with the SACP (which backs Zuma unconditionally). COSATU has revived elements of its historical "social movement unionism", but this co-exists schizophrenically with its narrower "political unionism". This article discusses these developments within the context of COSATU's historical trajectory, and concludes that the more things change, the more they remain the same. Although the ANC's uncomfortable embrace of COSATU will endure for some time to come, it is possible that ANC policies might eventually spur a real break. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]