Press statement by SAMWU Secretariat:
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) notes and welcomes the election victory of comrade Cyril Ramaphosa with excitement and jubilation. The election of Ramaphosa as the President of the ANC signifies a new era for Africa’s oldest liberation movement, an era which we so much look forward to being part of through the allience as an affiliate of COSATU.
We trust and hope that President Cyril Ramaphosa will facilitate the
immediate implementation of the National Health Insurance which had
been deliberately delayed by the previous incumbent. Not only is this
a win for democracy but is also a win for workers who have long been
marginalized.
Gone are the times when trade unions and workers would find it difficult to campaign for the ANC given challenges of the organization, in particular leadership and scandals which taken away the hope and confidence that South Africans had in the party. We believe that this victory would make it easy for us to sell the ANC to our people.
As the new President of the ANC, we trust that comrade Ramaphosa would assist workers, particularly municipal workers, Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) and Community Works Programme (CWP) Who had been made to be suppliers of cheap labour to all spheres of government.
We believe that this election victory is indicative of the directions which members of the ANC and workers who had been in the forefront of the Ramaphosa campaign have for the party and county at large.
SAMWU is convinced that the new collective leadership would unify the
people’s movement particularly as we approach the 2019 general elections. We looks forward to campaigning for the ANC so to ensure an overwhelming majority, as guided by our 2015 congress resolutions.
