Addressing delegates at the 8th National Congress of Cosatu, President Willie Madisha referred to “venomous” attacks against the federation by alliance partners hostile to the movement’s anti-privatisation strike in October 2002. Speaking on tensions within the alliance the President said that some alliance partners reacted by “spitting venom”, but that this reaction would not detract the federation from its demands. In an apparent reference to the ANC – the leading partner in the tripartite alliance – Madisha lamented the fact that tensions led to “labelled” attacks, but reminded delegates that “only the working class was capable of taking the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) forward, and nobody else.” On a more conciliatory note, Madisha spoke of building the alliance and ensuring that the ANC returns to power with an overwhelming majority in the country’s next elections.
