The trade union movement and the Tripartite Alliance: a tangled history

Abstract

The different incarnations of the Tripartite Alliance, from the 1950s to the present, involved a complex set of political relationships between union federations, the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP). In the case of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)-ANC-SACP Alliance, there is constant fluidity, which means that the balance of power is forever changing. For example, the ANC's grassroots revolt that led to the leadership change at Polokwane in 2007 tilted the balance of power in favour of left and socialist forces within the Alliance. The discussion in this chapter reflects that shift. In addition to the statement by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) general secretary expressing reservations about having supported an individual instead of a policy position, several other instances of friction have emerged, which are also discussed in the chapter. Keywords:African National Congress (ANC); COSATU; Polokwane; South African Communist Party (SACP); Tripartite Alliance