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Alliance of concern to Cosatu chief

Business Day
13 July 2000

THE Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) expressed concern yesterday over the state of the tripartite alliance.

Cosatu president Willie Madisha said: "The alliance has to find better ways to manage the imbalance in internal relationships, which sees the African National Congress in government and Cosatu and the SA Communist Party outside, while electoral victories and social progress still depend on the work of all three partners."

Addressing the Johannesburg Press Club in Emmarentia yesterday. Madisha said that since 1996 "progressive measures have been undermined by a shift to the right in economic policies".

Referring to government's "tight monetary policies" and "restrictive inflation targets", Madisha said "adoption of conservative policies" had hampered restructuring of the economy to ensure employment and investment.

Cosatu was calling for strong participatory democracy that "does not begin and end with periodic elections but rather empowers people to take part in every stage of decision-making that affects their lives".