was the declaration which we print below. apartheid.
DELEGATIONS of the ecutive of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the National Executive Committee of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (Sactu) and the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC) met in Lusaka on 5 and 6 March 1986.
The respective delegations were led by Comrade Jay Naidoo, General Secretary of Cosatu, Comrade John K. Nkadimeng, General Secretaru of Sactu and Comrade Oliver Tambo, dent of the ANC. During the course of the discussions Cosatu and Sactu held a separate session to discuss matters ot common interest as trade unionists.
The meeting resulted from the common concern of all parties arising from the fundamental and deep-seated economic, social and political crisis into which Botha regime and the apartheid system of national oppression and class exploitation have plunged our country. There was common understanding that Pretoria regime and the ruling of South Africa powerless to provide any real and meaningtul solutions to general crisis, that lasting solutions can only emerge from the national liberation movement, headed by the ANC, and the entire democratic forces country, of which Cosatu is an important and integrai part.
In this regard it was recognised that the emergence of Cosatu as the giant democratic and progressive trade union federation in our country is an historic event in the process of uniting our working class and will immeasurably strengthen the democratic movement as a whole.
After extensive discussions on the current internal and international situation, characterised by. a warm spirit of comradeship, the ihree delegations agreed on number of important issues. They THE MOST important political alliance which has to be forged in struggle against apartheid in South Africa is that between the organisations of the black South African working class and the revolutionary nationalist African National Congress (ANC). The formation of the 500,000-strong Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in December last year represented a giant step forward in that struggle. This unity in struggle has taken a further huge step forward through a joint meeting held in Lusaka on 5-6 March this year of COSATU, the ANC, and the ANC-aligned South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU). The outcome The delegations to the meeting are worth commenting on. Jay Naidoo, general secretary of COSATU, was a leader of the Federation of South African Trade Unions (FOSATU). The declaration therefore represents the convergence in struggle of the two most important components which came together to create COSATU itself - the FOSATU-affiliated unions and the ANC influenced trade unions. This declaration is above all important for the entire struggle in South Africa. But it also relates to a decisive debate which has been taking place in Britain. It has been argued by some in Britain that the non-racial trade unions in South Africa would come into increasing conflict with the ANC. That a convergence of the unions with the ANC would represent a step backwards for the trade unions. The exact reverse in the truth. The trade unions are being drawn together with the ANC in the joint fight against apartheid. This is the decisive political development in South Africa today — a development which should receive 100 per cent support. It is the decisive united front which can destroy Ex- agreed that the solution to the problems facing our country lie in the establishment of a system of majority ruie in a democratic and non-racial South Alrica. Further, that specific conditions of our country it is inconceivable that such a can be separated from economic emancipation.
Our people have been robbed of their land, due share in the country's wealth, their skills have been suppressed and poverty and starvation Presi- been their life experience. correction of these centuries old economic lies core of our national aspirations.
Accordingly they were united not only in their opposition to the entire apartheid system, but also in their common understanding that victory must embrace more than formal political democracy. the AFRICAN NATIONAL the this POWER TO THE PEOPLE! our The delegation plained that the principal tasks facing their federation is to consolidate their membership and atfiliates, rapidly effect conversion of the general unions which are part of Cosatu into an industrybased union, within each industry bring about mergers in order to realise the principle of one industry, one union and to unite the entire working force of our country under the banner of Cosatu At the same time, representative of: our Cosatu is seized with the task, of engaging the workérs in the general democratic struggle, both as an independent organisaton and as an essential compounited nent of the democratic forces of our country. In this regard, the the advancement of the interests of the workers and the democratic struggie of our people, requires that Cosatu, in working together with the other democratic mass organisations, disciplined alliances so as to endeprived of their sure that the mobilisation of our people in united mass action also has deepens the organisational basis The of all democratic organisations of the people. at the seek to build The delegation of the ANC programme, its The ANC by negotiations, if and when they should take place, must be public and involve the entire democratic movement In the discussions between Cosatu and Sactu, both agreed that the widest possible unity of trade unions in our country is of atmost importance in people's struggle against the apartheid regime and bosses. Both ; agreed that there was no.contradiction whatsoever arising from their separate existence.
The meeting between all three organisations was characterised an overwhelming optimism that despite all the manoeuvres by