It’s all here in this Cosatu resolution from its recent conference. Interesting.

1-2 Advancing working-class hegemony within the ANC
This Ninth National Congress notes:

1. The current class composition of the structures of the ANC.
2. That COSATU, as a component of the working class, has a class interest in the policy direction that the ANC and the state pursue.
3. That while the historical constituency of the ANC remains the black working class and poor majority, the national leadership of the ANC is increasingly becoming capitalist and middle-strata in composition and character. Furthermore the organisation is also dominated by cadres drawn from the state and there are far too few cadres from outside of the state. Working-class leadership has been weakened within the national leadership structures of the ANC.
4. The undefined role of ANC in relation to the state has rendered the ANC ineffective in relation to the mass movements and connections with the masses of our people.
5. A leadership debate underway in our country has polarised the Alliance formations, and COSATU, as a component of the working class, has a class interest in who leads the ANC and what policy direction the ANC and the state develop and pursue.
6. It has become a habit to elevate individuals over principle, undermining the revolutionary morality that has guided the liberation movement.
7. The resolution of the Eighth National Congress for COSATU members to “swell the ranks of the ANC.”

Believing:

As an organised formation of the working class, we have a principled and non-sectarian interest in the working-class biasness of the ANC, and the policy orientation and leadership of the ANC must reflect its working-class biasness.

Therefore this Ninth National Congress resolves:

1. That the Eighth National Congress resolution on swelling the ranks of the ANC must be based on the following guidelines:

1. Working-class cadres must ensure that activities of the ANC structures (including meeting agendas) are dominated by working-class issues and concerns such as the pursuit of all the Freedom Charter demands, and not dominated by narrow BEE interests, tenders, factionalism etc.;
2. Working-class cadres must contest for leading positions of the ANC to ensure that business personalities do not dominate the ANC;
3. Working-class cadres must expose the post-1996 class project, its limitations and its crisis. This must not be done in a factionalist manner, but in a manner that encourages debate and discussion within the ANC structures;
4. Working-class cadres must promote the unity of the Alliance and involvement of the Alliance in all activities of the ANC and visa versa.

2. The structures of the affiliates and the Federation must on an ongoing basis do an audit to assess whether we are realising the decision which calls on our members to swell the ranks of the ANC and participate within the structures of the ANC.
3. Debates of the leadership of the ANC must be informed by our political objectives stated in this resolution as well as endeavours to unite the liberation movement.

a. The first Central Committee after this Ninth National Congress must enter into a principled debate and resolve on the programme that must unite the liberation movement and identify leadership which can best pursue a programme in the interest of the working class;
b. Upon resolving on the above, the Central Committee must give a mandate to the Central Executive Committee and the National Office Bearers to manage this process so that it is not handled in a factionalist way within the structures of the Alliance.

4. While COSATU will continue to support the ANC in the next period, we note that currently the ANC is dominated by the interests of capital rather than the working class. COSATU at its first CEC in 2007 should develop a set of policy objectives against which to measure the extent to which the ANC is able to shift to represent the interest of the working class. The criteria shall include:

1. Implementing the nationalisation provisions of the Freedom Charter;
2. An end to privatisation, public-private partnerships and the commercialisation and commodification of service delivery;
3. The adoption of economic policy that ensures the distribution of wealth to the poor;
4. The abolition of legislation that is not worker-friendly.

5. The criteria must include measurable outcomes, with specified timescales so that by June 2008 we are able to assess the extent to which these criteria have been met. The hope is that other unions, NGOs and social movements will generate their own list of demands. In this way all issues will be covered.
6. On the basis of progress made in this regard, the COSATU CEC shall deliberate on the way forward.
7. Through systematic implementation of the 2015 Plan, in particular the call on workers to swell the ranks of the ANC, to reclaim ownership of the ANC so that it becomes a true instrument of people’s power and plays a positive role towards the achievement of a free, just and equal South Africa. To this end, our members, particularly the leadership, should bring their ANC membership cards to all Constitutional meetings as proof and encouragement to other members to join. The CEC has a responsibility to monitor this adequately.
8. The forthcoming ANC national conference presents another opportunity for the working class to assert its leadership of the NDR.
9. To popularise our understanding that the ANC must have a pro-poor/pro-working-class bias, and be an anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist liberation movement.

Related posts:

1. Why the ANC, SACP and Cosatu alliance is a perversion of democracy
2. Cosatu rejects SABC Board – full text
3. Jacob Zuma’s speech to the Cosatu conference – full text
4. Cosatu President Sidumo Dlamini’s address to congress – full text
5. Joint statement of the ANC, SACP and Cosatu Alliance Summit – full text