Corruption, rolling blackouts, contentious labour migration and the upcoming national election in 2024 are among issues set to dominate the country’s political agenda when Cosatu holds its national congress this week.
The conference, due to be held at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand from Monday to Thursday, will be addressed by SA Communist Party and ANC leaders, among others, and will culminate in the election of a new national leadership.
Cosatu has been calling on the government to implement a raft of reforms aimed at denting the triple challenges of unemployment, inequality and poverty.
The labour federation has warned the ANC that it risks losing political power during the national election in 2024 if it does not address socioeconomic challenges affecting the working class and the poor, and deal with corruption in its ranks. ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa has previously said the ANC is accused number one in corruption.
The department of co-operative governance & traditional affairs is set to hold its local government summit from Tuesday to Wednesday.
On Tuesday, parliament’s portfolio committee on communications and digital technologies will consider and adopt a report recommending candidates for the SABC board. The committee will also get an update from minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on broadcasting digital migration.
The portfolio committee on trade & industry will be briefed by the Special Investigating Unit on its investigation into allegations of maladministration and corruption at the National Lotteries Commission.
On Wednesday, MPs will put several questions to ministers in the economic cluster in parliament covering a range of issues related to SA’s economic performance.
ANC MP Lisa Nkosinathi Mangcu is expected to ask transport minister Fikile Mbalula what progress his department has made at the Passenger Rail Agency of SA in terms of infrastructure development and improved service.
EFF MP Omphile Maotwe is set to ask public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan what explanation Eskom management has given in relation to the “latest round of load-shedding even after spending R7bn of its annual budget in just six months”.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa is scheduled to answer questions in the National Assembly.
DA leader John Steenhuisen is likely to ask the president whether, “in light of the worrying statistic that around 27% of children under the age of five ... are stunted, he has found that the government is on track with its policy commitment to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030”.
EFF leader Julius Malema is expected to ask Ramaphosa whether, “notwithstanding that he launched the anti-gang unit on November 2 2018 with the intention of disabling the criminal economy linked to gangsterism, the scourge continues unabated”.
African Independent Congress MP Steven Mahlubanzima Jafta will ask the president whether, after his meeting with US President Joe Biden on September 16, the government is considering using its crime intelligence by partnering with the US “in fighting illicit financial crimes such as base erosion, profit shifting and money laundering”. And if not, “what is the position in this regard; if so, will he consider proclaiming a Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Agency in the Republic, to be located within the SA Revenue Service, to fight illicit financial crimes?”
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