Rising cost of living to take centre stage at COSATU Congress – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)’s 15th National Congress will take place at a time when workers are grappling with an escalating cost of living.

This is in the midst of high inflation and staggering unemployment rates.

One-thousand-800 delegates from 16 COSATU-affiliate unions are expected to vote for the labour federation’s leadership at the congress, which will start in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Monday.

COSATU General Secretary Solly Phetoe says all systems are in place for the federation’s 15th National Congress, which gets underway next Monday. pic.twitter.com/XCOycg3jEu
— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 11, 2026

COSATU national spokesperson, Zanele Sabela, says they will discuss the state of the federation, the unions that are affiliated to COSATU, and also the conditions that workers are facing.

“This economy of ours is literally stagnant, growing only at one per cent for more than a decade, and unemployment is at 43,8%. We will also look at everything else that workers are facing, especially with the changing world of work, gig and platform workers are the ones that are facing the most exploitative conditions.”