SAFTU

07/11/2026

* The cancer burden is growing. Cancer Alliance’s 2021 Cost of Cancer report estimated about 80,000 new cases a year and projected that annual cases could more than double by 2030 without major action. It says South Africa needs an additional R50 billion by 2030 to respond effectively. This is a projection, not a current case count.

* Cancer causes substantial loss of life. SAFTU, citing WHO/IARC GLOBOCAN estimates, says cancer kills more than 60,000 people a year in South Africa—about 170–180 people a day. SAFTU also says cervical cancer kills about one woman every hour.

* Prostate cancer is the most frequently reported invasive cancer among men. The 2024 National Cancer Registry recorded 10,761 cases and estimates a lifetime risk of 1 in 17 men. Among Black men, it recorded 5,346 cases, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 22.

* Prostate cancer patients have faced serious treatment delays. SAFTU reported that figures available in August 2024 showed 1,440 prostate cancer patients on the waiting list at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital. This is a dated figure, not a current waiting-list count.

* Breast cancer is the most frequently reported invasive cancer among women. The 2024 registry recorded 11,262 cases and estimates a lifetime risk of 1 in 28 women. It recorded 5,305 cases among Black women—a lifetime risk of 1 in 46—and 3,805 among White women, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 11.

* Late diagnosis makes breast cancer more deadly. Cancer Alliance reports that most women in South Africa are diagnosed when the disease is already advanced. Its policy page gives five-year survival rates of 40% down to 10% for these cases, compared with over 80% for early, localised breast cancer where detection and basic treatment are accessible.

* Thousands have waited for radiation treatment in Gauteng. Cancer Alliance’s court case concerned about 3,000 patients awaiting radiation oncology treatment. In March 2025, the High Court declared the Gauteng Department of Health’s failure to provide treatment to patients on the backlog list unlawful and unconstitutional. The dispute involved R784 million ring-fenced to address the backlog.

* SAFTU has linked treatment failures to wider problems in public healthcare. In August 2024, it reported 2,637 patients waiting for treatment or related steps at Charlotte Maxeke and Steve Biko hospitals, and criticised delays, inadequate equipment, austerity and corruption. That figure is also a dated snapshot.

* Cervical cancer is preventable. SAFTU welcomed South Africa’s HPV vaccination programme and cited the WHO’s 2030 targets: 90% of girls vaccinated, 70% of women screened, and 90% of women with cervical cancer or precancerous lesions treated.

* SAFTU’s proposed response: work with Cancer Alliance and the Treatment Action Campaign to monitor oncology waiting lists and broken equipment, support enforcement of court orders, campaign for a national cervical cancer strategy, and challenge austerity and corruption affecting public healthcare.

05/11/2026

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has told the ANC to jack up its act and stop "scoring own goals" as it prepares to fight the local government elections. He said party stalwart Oliver Tambo must be turning in his grave about the extent of the rot the ANC was tolerating.Addressing the Nationa...

05/11/2026

If you were young read again the warning of 5 April 2011 when i was addressing a NUMSA National Bargaining Conference

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has warned that South Africa might soon have a “President Zille” because the ANC was “infested with corruption and greed”.

05/11/2026

MEDIA STATEMENT
5 NOVEMBER 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAFTU WELCOMES THE DEFEAT OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THE US MIDTERM ELECTIONS

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) welcomes the decisive defeat of the Republican Party in the United States midterm elections. American voters have stripped the Republicans of control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, delivering a clear rebuke to Donald Trump and the party that repeatedly gave him a blank cheque.

This result is a warning against a governing party that has enabled the concentration of power in the presidency, failed to defend constitutional checks and balances, and backed policies that make working people carry the costs while the wealthy and powerful are protected.

One of the gravest examples is the war against Iran. Trump ordered US military strikes without first seeking authorisation from Congress, despite Congress’s constitutional role in authorising war. For months, most Republican lawmakers defended his actions or failed to stop them. In June, both chambers passed a resolution directing Trump to halt military activity against Iran, but the administration rejected the measure. The conflict has brought death and destruction while driving up fuel costs and adding to the pressure on households. Trump himself acknowledged that the war contributed to his party’s losses.

The assault on constitutional checks has extended beyond war powers. The administration has sought to withhold or cancel funds approved by Congress and to dismantle or shrink agencies established by Congress. Republicans in Congress repeatedly failed to defend their institution’s authority and the principle that the president is subject to the law.

Trump’s economic record has followed the same class pattern. His 2025 tax law directed a far greater share of its tax cuts to the richest households, while deep reductions to Medicaid and other public support threaten working-class families. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the law’s Medicaid provisions will leave 7.8 million more people uninsured by 2034. An analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that, when the tax law, higher prices and health-care costs are considered together, the richest 1% come out ahead while nearly every other income group is worse off.

Workers have also faced attacks on collective-bargaining rights, alongside mass cuts to federal agencies and jobs. Trump’s executive order removed many federal workers from labour-relations protections that require their employers to bargain with their unions. Meanwhile, the termination of AGOA benefits for South Africa and Rwanda threatens jobs and livelihoods in industries and communities connected to exports. Workers must not be made to pay for political disputes between governments.

SAFTU hopes the election result will mark a change in direction. We call on the US government to:

• End the attack on Iran and pursue peace.
• Help bring an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
• Stop tightening the economic squeeze on Cuba.
• Release Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, and respect the Venezuelan people’s right to elect their own leaders.
• Reinstate AGOA benefits for South Africa and Rwanda, protecting workers and livelihoods.
• Stop funding the genocide of the Palestinian people.
• Respect international law, the United Nations and its agencies.
• End threats against Mexico, Canada and Greenland and respect their sovereignty.
• Reprioritise the budget, end tax cuts that favour the rich, and address the growing cost-of-living crisis through support for jobs, wages and social security.

The defeat of the Republicans is a victory for democratic accountability, but it does not give the Democrats a blank cheque. They, too, must be judged by whether they defend workers’ rights, protect jobs and social security, make the wealthy pay their fair share, and pursue peace.

Issued on behalf of SAFTU by the General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi.

For media inquiries, contact the National Spokesperson at�Newton Masuku�[email protected]�0661682157
� Media Officer �Asive Dyani�0719019564

05/11/2026

https://saftumedia.blogspot.com/2026/11/saftu-welcomes-defeat-of-republicans-in.html

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) welcomes the decisive defeat of the Republican Party in the United States midterm ele...

04/11/2026

More than a decade after Cosatu first proposed a ‘Lula Moment’ for South Africa, the lessons of Brazil’s developmental shift remain urgent as the nation grapples with economic stagnation and political paralysis.

02/11/2026

https://saftumedia.blogspot.com/2026/11/saftu-welcomes-r166-billion.html

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) welcomes the judgment handed down by Judge M.J. Mosopa in the Gauteng Division of the...

02/11/2026

MEDIA STATEMENT
02 NOVEMBER 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAFTU WELCOMES R1.66 BILLION CONFISCATION ORDER AGAINST ANGELO AGRIZZI

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) welcomes the judgment handed down by Judge M.J. Mosopa in the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria on 29 October 2026, ordering former BosasaChief Operating Officer Angelo Agrizzi to pay the state R1.66 billion, plus interest, in connection with the proceeds of corruption linked to Bosasa's unlawful activities.

This judgment will hopefully send a stern and unequivocal warning to all those who have enriched themselves through corruption, bribery and the abuse of public resources that the proceeds of their criminal activities can be confiscated and that corruption must not be allowed to pay.

The confiscation order follows Agrizzi's conviction and sentencing on 6 November 2025, pursuant to a plea and sentence agreement in which he pleaded guilty to three counts of corruption and one count of money laundering arising from his role at Bosasa. The judgment represents an important development in the pursuit of financial accountability for corruption associated with state capture.

While the order does not mean that the full amount has already been recovered, it establishes a legal obligation for Agrizzi to pay the state and reinforces the principle that those who participate in corrupt activities must be deprived of the financial benefits derived from their crimes.

The Bosasa corruption scandal is a painful reminder of how deeply entrenched corruption has become in South Africa's public procurement system.

The revelations surrounding the company's operations exposed how public institutions and government contracts were manipulated through bribery, corrupt relationships and the abuse of political and administrative influence. Bosasa's operations demonstrated how private business interests could exploit their proximity to state power to secure lucrative government contracts, while public resources intended to serve society were diverted towards private enrichment.

For too long, corruption has flourished through the collusion of individuals in both the public and private sectors, with politically connected business interests and public officials exploiting state institutions for personal and corporate gain. While workers and their families struggle with unemployment, poverty, rising living costs and deteriorating public services, a privileged few have accumulated enormous wealth through corrupt dealings involving public funds. This represents a betrayal of the millions of South Africans who depend on public institutions for essential services and who continue to bear the consequences of corruption and the misappropriation of public resources.

The working class cannot continue paying the price for corruption through collapsing public services, failing municipalities, inadequate healthcare, deteriorating infrastructure and the diversion of resources that should be creating jobs and improving people's lives. Every rand lost to corruption represents resources that could otherwise contribute towards strengthening public services, expanding productive investment and addressing the triple crisis of unemployment, poverty and inequality.

SAFTU reiterates that public resources belong to the people and must be used to advance social development and improve the living conditions of the working class.

SAFTU believes that this confiscation order must not be treated as an isolated victory. It must serve as an impetus for a much broader and more determined effort to dismantle corruption networks and ensure that everyone who participated in, facilitated or benefited from corrupt activities is held accountable. The prosecution and punishment of individual perpetrators, while necessary, will remain insufficient if the wider networks of corruption and their beneficiaries are allowed to remain intact.

We therefore call on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and all relevant law enforcement agencies to deepen and widen their investigations into the Bosasacorruption scandal and other state capture-related activities. Investigators must follow the money, identify the beneficiaries of corrupt transactions and pursue every individual against whom credible evidence of wrongdoing exists. Investigations must not stop with those who have already been convicted, nor should they be confined to individuals who directly received payments while overlooking those who facilitated, authorised or knowingly benefited from corrupt arrangements.

All other individuals implicated in the Bosasa scandal, including those who occupied positions of political or administrative authority, must be subjected to proper investigation where the evidence warrants it.

There must be no sacred cows, political protection or selective application of justice. Those who facilitated the looting of public resources must not be allowed to escape accountability simply because of their political connections, wealth or positions of influence. The principle of equality before the law must apply without exception.

SAFTU further calls for the strengthening of the capacity and independence of law enforcement institutions, particularly the NPA and its Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, to ensure that complex corruption cases are thoroughly investigated, successfully prosecuted and accompanied by effective measures to recover the proceeds of crime.

The state must possess the institutional capacity, financial resources and specialised expertise necessary to confront sophisticated corruption networks that often involve powerful political and business interests.

However, recovering the proceeds of corruption is only one part of the struggle against this scourge. Government must also urgently address the systemic weaknesses in public procurement, strengthen oversight and accountability mechanisms, and ensure that public contracts serve the interests of society rather than becoming instruments of private enrichment. Public procurement must be transparent, properly monitored and subject to effective consequences where irregularities and criminal conduct are established.

SAFTU urges the NPA and all relevant law enforcement agencies to build on the momentum generated by this judgment and intensify efforts to pursue the wider network of individuals implicated in corruption. South Africa cannot afford another era in which grand corruption is extensively exposed through commissions of inquiry, only for those responsible to escape the full consequences of their actions.

The fight against corruption must extend beyond public declarations of commitment and isolated convictions. It must result in the dismantling of corrupt networks, the recovery of unlawfully acquired assets, the prosecution of those responsible and the restoration of public institutions to their proper purpose of serving the people.

SAFTU reiterates that corruption is not a victimless crime. Its victims are the millions of workers, unemployed people and impoverished communities who are denied the services, infrastructure and economic opportunities that public resources should provide. The struggle against corruption is therefore inseparable from the struggle for decent work, quality public services, economic justice and a state that serves the interests of the working class.

SAFTU insists that corruption must never pay, that no individual should be above the law, and that every person who unlawfully enriches themselves at the expense of the people must face the full consequences of their actions.

A statement was issued on behalf of SAFTU by the General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi.
For media inquiries, contact the National Spokesperson at�Newton Masuku�[email protected]�0661682157
� Media Officer �Asive Dyani�0719019564

26/10/2026

SAFTU CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT LULA ON HIS VICTORY: A PEOPLE DEFEND GAINS THEY CAN SEE – 26 October 2026

The South African Federation of Trade Unions congratulates President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his re-election and salutes the Brazilian workers, poor people, Indigenous communities and all those who mobilised to defend their democratic and social gains.
Lula won 51.8% of the vote, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro by nearly 4.4 million votes. His victory is a setback for the right-wing forces seeking to consolidate power across Latin America and bring the region closer to the agenda of US President Donald Trump. It gives Brazil the opportunity to continue advancing an independent voice for the Global South.

This election was not simply a vote for a political personality. It was a struggle over land, livelihood, dignity and the direction of development. Brazil’s Indigenous communities had particular reason to fear a Bolsonaro victory. Lula’s government restored the process of recognising Indigenous territories, established a Ministry of Indigenous Peoples and appointed Indigenous leaders to senior positions. By November 2025, his administration had approved 20 territories covering about 2.5 million hectares.

These advances are incomplete, and Indigenous organisations continue to demand faster demarcation and stronger protection. But the return of territorial recognition gave communities something concrete to defend.
Land reform also matters to Brazil’s landless rural workers and small farmers. Lula’s government says 266,000 families have been included in its agrarian reform programme during this term through new settlements, recognition of land claims and regularisation. The Landless Workers’ Movement continues to criticise the pace of reform, while insisting that access to land is essential to democracy and food sovereignty.

Workers and poor families also had material gains to defend. Between 2022 and 2024, about 17.3 million people moved out of poverty. In 2024 alone, 1.9 million people moved out of extreme poverty, while 24.4 million left severe food insecurity. Brazil’s employed population reached a record 103.3 million in 2024, and the number of unemployed people fell by 1.1 million from the previous year. Lula’s government raised the minimum wage in real terms and introduced income-tax relief for people earning up to R$5,000 a month. These gains did not end inequality or insecurity, but they were tangible improvements that ordinary people could see in their lives.

The contrast with South Africa is stark:
Brazil: gains people mobilised to defend
South Africa: setbacks and growing demoralisation

Indigenous territorial recognition resumed, with new areas approved and Indigenous people given a place in government. Agrarian reform included hundreds of thousands of families, though movements continue to demand more.
Land restitution and redistribution remain painfully slow. The promise of land reform has not transformed ownership or rural livelihoods at the scale required.

About 17.3 million people moved out of poverty between 2022 and 2024; 24.4 million left severe food insecurity.
Poverty and hunger remain widespread. SAFTU has cited estimates that 17 to 20 million people skip meals daily, while unemployment and inequality remain entrenched.
Employment reached a record 103.3 million in 2024; unemployment fell by 1.1 million that year.

Mass unemployment, deindustrialisation and retrenchments continue, while many people rely on insecure and precarious work.
Real minimum-wage increases and tax relief for lower earners put more income into workers’ hands.

Austerity and rising living costs erode working-class incomes and constrain the public services people depend on.
People could point to gains in land, food security, income and employment while demanding that Lula do more.
The ANC’s support fell from 69.7% in 2004 to 40.18% in 2024. In 2024, only 16.29 million people voted out of a voting-age population of roughly 40 million. About 23 to 24 million eligible adults—nearly three in five—did not participate.

South Africa’s democracy is losing legitimacy because millions have become demoralised by promises that were never fulfilled. The low participation in 2024 was not simply voter apathy. It reflected a profound loss of confidence that the political system can change people’s lives. The GNU was formed through the parliamentary process, but its parties cannot claim the active electoral support of a majority of eligible South Africans.

The ANC’s decline is a crisis of delivery, political identity and credibility. It has moved to the right, and there is little meaningful difference between its economic programme and that of the DA. Both accept the central logic of austerity, market-led reform and a growing role for private capital, while workers and the poor bear the costs. The ANC has weakened its claim to offer a distinct pro-poor alternative. This is compounded by the widespread perception that corruption is entrenched across the political establishment.

The DA and other right-wing parties did not make their gains in a vacuum. The ANC’s failures and its convergence with the DA opened the space they now occupy. Many former ANC supporters have become demoralised: some stayed at home, while others voted for different parties. When people see no meaningful difference in economic direction and lose confidence in the integrity of those in power, they can conclude that voting will not improve their lives.

Brazil’s election offers a lesson for South Africa. Workers, poor families and Indigenous communities defended Lula because they had material gains to protect, even as they continued to demand more. A movement cannot rely indefinitely on its history or its promises. It must show people that their lives are changing.

South Africa needs a decisive break with austerity and neoliberalism: a programme that redistributes land and wealth, creates decent jobs, raises living standards, rebuilds public services and confronts corruption. Democracy will regain legitimacy when people can see and feel progress—and when workers and the poor have something real to defend.

⛔️🔥🔥 Lula’s victory is a huge kick in the teeth against Zionists, fascism and American imperialism. It is also a victory for workers in Brazil and across the world. Great victory for all freedom fighters ✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼

25/10/2026

https://saftumedia.blogspot.com/2026/10/saftu-calls-on-south-african-and.html

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) supports the Istanbul Declaration adopted by dockworkers’ unions at their international...