The limits of transnational solidarity: the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the Swaziland and Zimbabwean crises

Abstract

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the main union federation in South Africa, was instrumental in ending apartheid. This paper evaluates COSATU's post-apartheid role in working for democracy elsewhere in Southern Africa through deepening transnational solidarity, focusing on its role in Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Although the federation successfully mobilised trade union members to oppose the contravention of human and labor rights, its ability to affect lasting change was limited by contradictory messages and actions by the South African government, the dualistic nature of institutional formation in these countries, strategic miscalculations and structural limitations on union power.

Notes

^1.Government of South Africa, “Trade Unions in South Africa.”

^2.Wood and Dibben, “Broadening Internal Democracy,” 54–7.

^3.Munck, “Unions, Globalization and Internationalism,” 295–6; Dibben, Wood and Mellahi, “Is Social Movement Unionism Still Relevant?”

^4.SATAWU, “Activities of the International and Campaigns Department.”

^5.SATUCC, “Welcome to SATUCC Website.”

^6.Jauch, “Building a Regional Labor Movement”; Mosoetsa and Vlok, “Revitalise or Marginalise?”

^7. Regarding member participation, see Keet, “Labor Issues in Southern Africa,” 75; for collective bargaining, see Patel, South African Investment in Southern Africa, 31.

^8.Hentz, South Africa, 50.

^9.Keet, “Labor Issues in Southern Africa,” 79.

^10.Grawitzky, “Labor Solidarity,” 10.

^11.Craven, “COSATU Statement.”

^12. Ibid.

^13. See Mail and Guardian [Johannesburg], September 6, 2012.

^14. See Robinson, “States and Power in Africa,” 510–9; Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson, “The Colonial Origins.”

^15.Moorcroft, “Rhodesia's War of Independence.”

^16.Mlambo, “‘Land Grab’.”

^17. Ibid.

^18. Ibid., 1–3; Masilwa, “The Fast Track Resettlement.”

^19.Dorman, “Make Sure They Count,” 155.

^20.Knight, “Labor Market Issues in Zimbabwe,” 35–42.

^21. See Stoneman and Cliffe, Zimbabwe, 106–7, regarding leadership corruption. For the working-class power base, see Chung, “Emergence of a New Political Movement,” 655–68; Masilwa, “The Fast Track Resettlement.”

^22.Sachikonye, “The 1990 Zimbabwe Elections,” 92.

^23.Carmody, “Neoclassical Practice.”

^24.Mlambo, “‘Land Grab’.”

^25.Addison and Laakso, “The Political Economy of Zimbabwe's Descent,” 457.

^26.Adler, Barchiesi and Gostner, “Unions Without Comrades”; Alexander, “Zimbabwean Workers”; and van der Walt, “This is Class Warfare.”

^27.Dorman, “Make Sure They Count”; Moore, “Two Perspectives.”

^28.Scoones et al., “Livelihoods After Land Reform.”

^29.Larmer, “‘The Politics of the Stomach’,” 65; South African Labour Bulletin, “What Role Should Africans Play.”

^30.Moore, “Two Perspectives.”

^31. Ibid.

^32.The Standard, June 27, 2003.

^33.Bond, “Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Power Politics.”

^34.Mail and Guardian, February 24, 2005.

^35.Africa Research Bulletin, “Zimbabwe: MDC Split Deepens.”

^36.Mail and Guardian, February 24, 2004.

^37. Ibid., October 26, 2004.

^38. Ibid., October 28, 2004.

^39. Ibid., February 8, 2005.

^40.Sunday Times, July 8, 2001.

^41.Mail and Guardian, February 8, 2005.

^42.Raftopoulos and Mlambo, “Introduction,” xvi.

^43.Mail and Guardian, April 13, 2008.

^44. Ibid., May 17, 2008.

^45. Ibid., January 29, 2009.

^46.The Zimbabwean, February 25, 2011.

^47. Ibid.

^48.Amnesty International, “Trade Unions in Zimbabwe.”

^49.Ndlovu-Gatsheni, “Review Article.”

^50.Mail and Guardian, November 2, 2010.

^51.Herbst, States and Power in Africa, 1–12; Robinson, “States and Power in Africa,” 510.

^52. See Levin, “Swaziland's Tikhundla,” 4–8.

^53. Ibid.

^54.Maree, “The Role of Trade Unions,” 17; Bohler-Muller and Lukhele-Olorunju, Swaziland, 2; and Joubert, Masilela and Langwenya, Consolidating Democratic Governance, 59.

^55.Picard, “Traditionalism in Swaziland.”

^56.Levin, “Swaziland's Tikhundla,” 3–5.

^57.Motala, “Trade Unions in Swaziland,” 85–6.

^58.Dlamini and Levin, “Breaking Tradition,” 82.

^59.Matlosa, “Democracy and Conflict,” 336; Matlosa, “Vulnerability and Viability,” 128; Maree, “The Role of Trade Unions,” 17–18; and Dlamini, “‘Interesting Times’ in the Kingdom of Swaziland,” 173.

^60.Matlosa, “Vulnerability and Viability,” 129.

^61.Matlosa, “Democracy and Conflict,” 336. In reality, the Swaziland government's position was rather ambiguous.

^62.Dlamini, “King Mswati III Dreams.”

^63.Mzizi, “Swaziland,” 172.

^64. Ibid.; Motsamai, “Swaziland: Can Southern Africa's Last Absolute Monarchy Democratise?,” 45–6; Bohler-Muller and Lukhele-Olorunju, Swaziland, 2; and Acheampong and Domson-Lindsay, “Unlocking the Security Puzzle,” 5–6.

^65.Africa Research Bulletin, “Opposition Leaders Arrested.”

^66.Mail and Guardian, April 10, 2011; see also Motsamai, “Swaziland: Can Southern Africa's Last Absolute Monarchy Democratise?,” 48.

^67.Mail and Guardian, September 9, 2011.

^68.Kenworthy, “Will Zuma's South Africa Demand Democratisation?”

^69. Ibid.

^70.Mail and Guardian, November 17, 2011.

^71.Kenworthy, “Will Zuma's South Africa Demand Democratisation?”

^72. For Swazi dependence on South Africa, see Aziakpono, “Financial and Monetary Autonomy,” 207–9; regarding South African government calls for dialogue, see Motsamai, “Swaziland: Can Southern Africa's Last Absolute Monarchy Democratise?,” 47–9.

^73.Mail and Guardian, August 30, 2012.

^74. Ibid., August 24, 2012; see also: Dlamini “‘Interesting Times’ in the Kingdom of Swaziland,” 173.

^75.Motsamai, “Swaziland: Can Southern Africa's Last Absolute Monarchy Democratise?,” 48.

^76.Motsamai, “Swaziland: Can Southern Africa's Last Absolute Monarchy Democratise?,” 47, 49.

^77.Ndlovu-Gatsheni, “Review Article.”

^78. Ibid.

^79.Robinson, “States and Power in Africa,” 513.

^80. Ibid., 514.

^81.Maree, “The Role of Trade Unions,” 18.

^82.Sidiropoulos, “South African Foreign Policy.”

^83.Raftopoulos, “The Zimbabwean Crisis,” 218.

^84. Ibid.

^85.Buhlungu, “Union-Party Alliances,” 712.

^86.Webster, “Global Labor.”

^87. See Robinson, “States and Power in Africa,” 517.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Geoffrey Wood

Geoffrey Wood is Professor of International Business at Warwick Business School, the University of Warwick; Honorary Professor of the University of the Witwatersrand; Visiting Professor at Nelson Mandela University, South Africa; and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University, Australia.

Pauline Dibben

Gilton Klerck is Professor of Sociology at Rhodes University, South Africa, and a leading scholar of industrial relations in Southern Africa.

Gilton Klerck

Pauline Dibben is Professor of Employment Relations at the University of Sheffield, UK, and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University, Australia. She has published widely on employment relations in Southern Africa.