On the last weekend of November 1985, worker delegates gathered at the sports hall of the University of Natal to launch the Congress of South African Trade Unions.
Unity talks had started informally in 1979, become more formal in 1981 and continued up to the launch. Although the talks had covered many issues, there were still many unresolved differences and underlying tensions. But unionists felt the differences could be debated endlessly. Decisions had to be made and the best place for this to happen was within the democratic structures of a federation. Thus the 760 delegates from 33 unions were at once excited and apprehensive. No one really knew what this meeting, or the future would hold.
Cyril Ramphosa, then Num general secretary, earlier chosen as the convenor of the launching congress, set the tone with a short opening address: "The formation of this Congress represents an enormous victory for the working class in this country ... In the next few days ... we will be putting our heads together, not only to make sure we reach Pretoria, but also to make a better life for us workers in this country. What we have to make clear is that a giant has risen and will confront all that stand in its way."
With that, delegates set about fulfilling their first task - the adoption of a constitution.
A Constitution
The congress spent much of its time debating the federation's constitution, even though agreement on a draft had been reached during unity talks. There was lengthy and heated debate around the addition of an assistant general secretary, revealing tensions and unresolved issues.
A constitution, which determined the federation's basic structures, was finally agreed on. Cosatu would be a disciplined and active federation with structures at national, regional and local levels. All structures should contain a majority of worker delegates. This was aimed at preventing union officials from dominating structures and was central to ensuring mass participation in decision making.
Structures would include a national congress every two years, a central executive committee (CEC) meeting every three months and an executive committee (Exco) which would meet every month.
Regional congresses would be held every four months and the regional executive committee would meet every month. Ten Cosatu regions were established at the launch, but this was later changed to nine.
Cosatu locals would be set up to unite workers from particular towns or townships. They would be open to all shopstewards living or working in the area and were seen as Cosatu's basic unit of organisation which would advance the federation's interests at grassroots level.
These structures have remained largely unchanged since Cosatu's formation in 1985, apart from the restructuring of the executive committee in 1987. At the launch, the Exco comprised elected office bearers plus four additional members of the CEC. The 1987 Congress changed this to elected office bearers plus two delegates from each affiliate. This structure had been the original intention during unity talks, but was impractical due to the large number of affiliates joining Cosatu at the launch. Once a programme of mergers was underway, it became more feasible.
Policies
The congress called for one union to be established in each industry within six months. Delegates voted for the launch of an education programme and a newspaper.
Another resolution examined exploitation and discrimination against women. Some of the issues it dealt with were women's access to "a limited range of occupations", that they had to do "boring and repetitive work with low and often unequal pay", sexual harassment in the workplace and women losing their jobs when they fell pregnant. The congress decided that Cosatu should take up these problems.
The right to strike and picket was another resolution and it called for the CEC to determine a national living wage. The congress condemned the bantustan system and the "super exploitation occurring in these areas". Delegates stated their determination to "organise in plants based within the bantustans", even though it was very difficult to do so. The congress resolved that the migrant labour system, "including pass laws and influx control" should be scrapped and that workers had the right to live in "proper housing" with their families "near their place of work".
Other resolutions including a call for the lifting of the state of emergency, the withdrawal of troops from the townships, the release of political prisoners and the unbanning of all restricted individuals and organisations.
Delegates also decided that all forms of international pressure, "including disinvestment or the threat of disinvestment" were essential and should be supported - even though it was illegal at the time to make such calls.
Elections
The issue of elections was a difficult one. Cosatu's leadership would be faced with enormous challenges. While the organisation had been launched, it still had to be built. This task would fall on the new leadership which had to be capable of weaving together the different strands of the union movement which came together to form Cosatu. To do this effectively, the leadership would need overwhelming support. Any hint of acrimony would inhibit their ability to fulfill their tasks. So the elections were extensively caucused outside the congress hall to make sure that consensus was reached. Union delegates huddled together outside the hall, discussing prospective candidates, with emissaries moving from one caucus to another trying to reach common agreement.
After much discussion, Elijah Barayi was elected president. He took to the podium saying, "You must know that a lion has been born". Chris Dlamini was elected vice-president, Makhulu Ledwaba second vice-president, Jay Naidoo general secretary and Sydney Mufamadi assistant general secretary. All except Ledwaba, who stood against Saawu's Robert Gqweta, were elected unopposed. All were men.
The Rally
The second day of the congress included a workers' rally at Kings Park stadium in Durban. Insufficient work had gone into the planning of the rally and so attendance was disappointing - only 10,000 workers gathered for the event. But the crowd that gathered was enthusiastic and responded warmly to the elected office bearers as they were introduced.
Barayi's speech stood out. Speaking in Xhosa, with his well-known wit and sharp tongue, he launched an attack on all homeland leaders, labelling them 'puppets', and he called for the release of the people's 'real leader' Nelson Mandela.
Barayi also called on the government to scrap the pass laws within six months or Cosatu would call on people to burn their passes. While his comments did not reflect the issues agreed on at the congress, his tone reflected the spirit of the launch and was well received by the crowd.
The federation had been launched. And, while differences, debate and tension would continue to be a feature of Cosatu meetings for years to come, the new structures would provide the framework for them to be ironed out, and policies developed.
Cosatu was launched with an unambiguous political stamp and thousands of workers were jubilant about the launch. It gave them hope. It was their achievement. And, as delegates reported back to workers throughout the country, one particular song was to be heard wherever workers gathered. It was composed by Ccawusa members and it assumed for a time, the status of the 'official' Cosatu song: iCosatu sonyuka nayo/masingen' enkululekweni ran the refrain - Cosatu is rising up/let us go with it to freedom.
Jeremy Baskin, Striking Back
Cyril Ramaphosa, the convenor of the launching congress, shared the platform with two recording secretaries. In the foyer latecomers registered ... each delegate was handed a cheap portable radio and headphones, used to allow simultaneous translation into four languages - Zulu, Sotho, English and Afrikaans.
Worker marshals struggled to keep a large contingent from the local and foreign media at bay. The mood was excited but nervous ... there was a sense of urgency and widespread belief that the time was right to launch a new federation. In the townships, mass mobilisation and uprisings continued despite the government's declaration of a partial state of emergency only months before. The union movement needed a vehicle, a federation, to respond to these developments effectively.
At 11am on 30 November 1985, the launching congress opened with the singing of South Africa's unofficial national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.
Striking Back