The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says it expects the new Gauteng Cabinet to work with full commitment to support and bring change to workers’ rights.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced his 10-member Cabinet on Wednesday.
Lesufi allocated seven MEC positions to members of his party, the African National Congress (ANC) and one each to the Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and RISE Mzansi.
Cosatu Gauteng provincial chairperson Amos Monyela says, “We expect the ANC to engage the federation on the program of action, so we expect to engage with all the MECs – the PA MEC and RISE Mzansi – we will be able to engage them without favour.”
“We will call them to Cosatu House to come and address us and tell us what is it that they are going to do for people of Gauteng or workers so that we are ready for anything that comes. And any MEC that does not want to engage with Cosatu rest assured we will make sure they account to Cosatu,” adds Monyela.
DA won’t be part of Gauteng Executive: Hellen Zille
Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on Thursday rejected claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that the ANC blatantly refused to consider giving them more Cabinet seats.
Lesufi says the DA initially accepted a maximum of three out of 10 Cabinet seats but later turned around to say they wanted five.
However, talks between the two parties on forming a Cabinet deadlocked and the DA did not form part of the Executive of the Gauteng Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) and withdrew from the coalition.
Lesufi says it is unfortunate that they could not reach an agreement in the end.
