Keynote address by Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile at the 2026 Annual Labour School, Kievits Kroon, Pretoria

Programme Director,
Organised Labour Overall Convenor, Mr Gerald Mkhomazi Twala;
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Ms Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala;
Leaders of our trade union federations, Zingiswa Losi, President of COSATU, and GS Solly Phetoe; Comrade, Godfrey Selamastela of FEDUSA; Comrade Steve Manganye of NACTU, and Comrade Maredi, Acting President of SAFTU, led by President Maredi;
Fellow compatriots,

Good Morning,

Comrades, leaders of our great federations, we gather at a decisive moment in our nation's journey, a moment where the choices we make, and the actions we take, will profoundly shape the future of South Africa.

Today, I invite you to return to the roots of our struggle, to the spirit of activism anchored in three enduring pillars: mobilisation, education, and unity. These pillars must guide us as we confront the defining challenges of our time: global economic instability, widening inequality, and the disruptive impact of technological change.

These challenges call on us to reignite the fire of activism. The fire that blazed in Durban in 1973, when mass strikes revived black unionism. The fire that forced recognition of black unions in 1979.

The fire that gave birth to COSATU in 1985, whose courage helped cripple the apartheid economy and advance our liberation.

And indeed, COSATU was not alone.

The National Council of Trade Unions carried forward unity and resistance. The Federation of Unions of South Africa brought diverse voices together. In our democratic era, SAFTU emerged to continue the fight against job losses, inequality, and poverty.

From apartheid's crucible to democracy's promise, trade unions have been more than defenders of workers' rights, they have been architects of a just society.

Today, as unemployment and inequality continue to scar our nation, we draw strength from the resilience of leaders such as Elijah Barayi and James Mndaweni, who ensured that the worker's voice became the voice of dignity and transformation. Their legacy must guide us as we confront urgent challenges:

Unemployment, especially among the youth, is a challenge that must never be normalised. Inequality is deepening, with the risk that digital economies benefit a few while excluding many. Poverty continues to undermine dignity and opportunity.

These challenges demand a unified response bringing together workers, unions, communities, government, and society at large.

The 7th Administration has prioritised three strategic objectives: Driving inclusive growth and job creation; Reducing poverty and the cost of living; Building a capable, ethical, and developmental state.

In the 2026/27 Budget, social protection remains central, with the social wage accounting for over 60% of non-interest spending.

At the same time, we are expanding employment through infrastructure investment and the Presidential Employment Stimulus, particularly targeting young people and women.

Through Operation Vulindlela, we are addressing structural constraints in energy and logistics, laying the foundation for sustained, inclusive growth. Encouragingly, the economy grew by 1.1% in 2025, with inflation easing to 3.0% in February 2026. But we must be clear: growth without jobs is not enough.

Our task is to ensure that growth is inclusive-that it reaches: The young jobseeker in Muyexe; the discouraged worker in Ntabankulu; the struggling family in every corner of our country. True progress is measured not in statistics, but in lives uplifted, dignity restored and hope renewed.

However, our public employment programmes must not entrench dependency. They must create pathways to skills, work experience, and long-term opportunities. This is how a capable state acts, protecting the vulnerable today while building productive capacity for tomorrow.

Comrades,

International experience reinforces this approach. For instance, China has reduced poverty through targeted reforms and skills development, and the United Kingdom has demonstrated how public institutions can be both compassionate and efficient.

Here at home, our reforms are guided by the same objective: to build a state that is the greatest ally of the worker. Yet we must confront a difficult reality: the labour market is changing.

Formal employment is shrinking. Precarious work is rising. Too many workers live with uncertainty. We must therefore act decisively: to protect workers from exploitation; expand access to secure employment; and enforce health and safety standards without compromise. No worker should lose their life or livelihood due to non-compliance.

Compatriots, our trade unions must also evolve! Beyond wage negotiations, unions must: shape macroeconomic policy; support labour-intensive investment; and drive skills development and job creation.

This perspective also brings us to the discussion around the future of work. Workers with access to skills and training should be able to secure better wages, stability, and dignity. The Human Resource Development Council remains central in aligning education with labour market needs. As Chair of the HRDC, I reaffirm our commitment to this agenda.

We must also confront the rise of Artificial Intelligence. AI is already transforming sectors from freight logistics at Transnet to predictive maintenance at Eskom. While these innovations improve efficiency, they also reshape jobs and demand new skills.

Our responsibility is clear: no worker must be managed or dismissed by an algorithm alone; workers must share in productivity gains; displaced workers must be retrained and supported. Technology must empower workers, not replace them and their dignity!

Comrades,

This Labour School must be more than a forum; it must be a platform for shaping the future. I challenge our federations to develop a Digital Workers' Charter, grounded in the right to retraining; data sovereignty; digital dignity; human oversight in all automated systems.

Regarding the issue of the urgent housing needs of workers, we acknowledge that too many public servants fall into a gap where they earn too much for RDP housing, yet too little to access mortgage finance.

This is unacceptable. Minister of Human Settlements is We developing innovative housing solutions that ensure access to affordable, quality housing. Supporting public servants in this way is not just social policy, it is an investment in the capability of the state.

Compatriots,

We cannot achieve our goals without organised labour.
Through NEDLAC, in the upcoming National Dialogue, we have an opportunity to forge a new social compact that unites government, business, labour, and civil society. But dialogue alone is not enough. Dialogue must lead to action!

As I conclude, allow me to make a point at the geopolitical level. Firstly, South Africa posture remains of being non-aligned, in the interests of promoting a multipolar world order and defending national interests.

Secondly, South Africa will continue to stand for peace in the Middle East and other parts of the world. We are committed to silencing the guns on our continent and promoting peace and cooperation across the world. We condemn the unprovoked attack on Iran by the US and call for de-escalation from both sides. This is primarily because development cannot exist without peace.

Compatriots,

May we see this platform as an opportunity to continue standing in solidarity with the people - workers, women, youth, and other marginalised groups. Let us not act as isolated voices, but as one chorus for dignity, justice, and opportunity. Only together can we bend the arc of our nation toward hope and renewal.

Let us continue working together to build a South Africa where every worker enjoys dignity, security, and opportunity, as promised in the Freedom Charter: "The people shall share in the country's wealth. There shall be work and security for all."

Aluta Continua!

I thank you.