NEHAWU Central Executive Committee (CEC 2025)
Thursday December 11, 2025
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] convened its fourth Central Executive Committee [CEC] of the 12th National Congress on the 07th – 09th of December 2025.
The CEC considered the international context, national political and socio-economic situations as well as organisational matters affecting members and the working class in general. This was the last CEC of the 12th National Congress, which assessed the implementation of the resolutions adopted at 12th Congress through our four-year programme of action.
The CEC meeting took place against the background of a momentous year where the union was tasked with a mammoth task to convene the Provincial Congresses, National Organising, Servicing and Collective Bargaining Conference including growth as part of the renewal process of the national union. Furthermore, the union had to adequately prepare for the 8th Central Committee and also provincial congresses and gender conferences of the federation, COSATU.
The CEC congratulated the momentous 80th anniversary of the founding of our militant and class oriented international centre, the World Federation of Trade Unions [WFTU] together with the 76th anniversary of its strategic sector component, the Trade Union International Public Service and Allied [TUI-PS&A].
The CEC congratulated our glorious workers movement, the Congress of the South African Trade Unions (COSATU), coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU), a pioneering radical and non-racial trade union movement that was founded three months before the adoption of the Freedom Charter, whose 70th anniversary have been also celebrated this year.
International Situation
In assessing the international situation and the current epoch, the CEC premised succinctly and best from the great Italian communist, Antonio Gramsci’s, dictum: “The old is dying and the new cannot be born. In this interregnum there arises a great diversity of morbid symptoms”, coupled with the definition by Vladimir Lenin on imperialism that “Imperialism is the highest and final stage of capitalism”.
Indeed, the CEC agreed that the world order is undergoing a seismic shift amidst political and socioeconomic degeneration of the United States (US), the economic stagnation and political instability within the European Union and the rise of China.
Furthermore, the CEC agreed that a handful of monopolies that are more powerful than many nation-states dominate the global economy. They control strategic resources, production, and finance and extract super-profits through super-exploitation of the working-class.
The CEC further received an update report on major international developments with particular focus on developments in Africa, Latin America, Europe and Middle East and Asia.
The CEC meeting strongly condemned the US aggression and military strikes against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The CEC fully pledges its unwavering support with the people of Venezuela and progressive governments in Latin America.
The CEC expressed solidarity and commitment to intensify our international working class solidarity through campaigns with the peoples’ struggles in Palestine, Cuba, Western Sahara, Venezuela as well as the peoples of Swaziland, Sudan, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The union agreed to pay attention to the broader implications of tariffs imposition by the US.
The CEC agreed to jointly discuss with the SACP and the WFTU on convening a meeting of the Africa Left Networking Forum (ALNEF) in 2026 as it is critical in changing the correlation of class forces in the African continent; more so in the light of the general crisis of capitalism globally and the decline of Western imperialism.
The CEC noted the rise of social movements on immigration issues with large support of the working class and immediately directed the union to deepen its analysis regarding the false consciousness and the potential of these social movements to reverse the progressive politics.
In the final analysis of the prevailing epoch, the meeting of the central executive committee agreed that class struggle and waging an irreconcilable ideological struggle is key to changing the correlation of class forces. The crisis of capitalism is an opportunity for socialism. In this regard, the rebuilding, strengthening and forging of new militancy of the international communist movement is a top priority.
National Political Situation
The CEC meeting took place post the 40th anniversary rally of our gigantic federation, the Congress of the South African Trade Unions (COSATU) which was held on the 6th of December 2025.
Furthermore, the CEC was convened when the ANC was also convening its National General Council under theme: The Year of Renewal to Make the ANC a More Effective Instrument of the People to Achieve the Vision of the Freedom Charter: The People Shall Govern! The People Shall Share in the Wealth of the Country!”
The ANC NGC as a midterm platform is tasked with reviewing progress in implementing the resolutions and its renewal programme of ensuring that the ANC remains the revolutionary movement of the people. However, the renewal programme leaves much to be desired, as once again, the organisation has proven that it has lost its moral and ethical compass and this is evident with scandals of corruption, factionalism, and organisational paralysis and how the organisation has continuously failed to pay our members and workers their salaries, provident fund and medical aid for months.
As NEHAWU, we condemn the ANC for its continuous failure to pay workers’ their salaries. Equally, we strongly condemn the uncomradely conduct of delegates at the NGC towards the SACP 1st Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Madala Masuku when he was delivering a message of support of the Party at the NGC.
The CEC made an in-depth assessment on the state of our National Democratic Revolution [NDR] and agreed that the past three decades in South Africa is a continuous single story of the ideological derailment of the National Democratic Revolution [NDR] based on the adoption of a rightwing macroeconomic policy agenda in cahoots with monopoly capital and the abandonment of progressive and developmental economic strategy.
The implementation of neo-liberal macroeconomic policies has reproduced the crises of unemployment, inequalities and poverty at a larger scale.
The CEC agreed that the Freedom Charter has been reduced to a fetish for celebrations during annual anniversaries but no longer regarded as the lodestar in advancing the course of National Democratic Revolution.
On the strategic way-forward for the Socialist-Axis, the CEC reaffirmed the correctness of the SACP resolution to contest elections independently in the 2026 local government elections and beyond. This resolution is an integral part of the Party’s strategic perspective, which include the tasks of building a powerful socialist movement of the workers and poor and building a left popular front, amongst others.
In this regard, the CEC directed the union to go ahead in preparing itself to embark on a massive election campaign in the 2026 local government elections in support of the SACP, as a vanguard of the working class.
Furthermore, the union will develop a comprehensive program of action inclusive of political classes, rolling-out massive political education, town based meetings for office bearers, shop stewards and members at the workplace to keep members abreast on the developments regarding the SACP contesting in 2026 local government elections.
The CEC directed the national union to support and participate in full-swing on the SACP Red People’s Caravan and its participation should be impactful and noticeable.
Socio-Economic Situation
The CEC expressed concern that the economy remains stagnant as it is expected to grow by a mere 1.2% in 2025 and this is in line with trend over the past decade due to austerity measures. The stagnation of the economy is largely as a result of the dogmatic pursuance and implementation of neo-liberal macroeconomic policies whose foundation were laid by the Growth, Employment and Redistribution [GEAR] strategy.
The CEC concluded that over the past 18 months of the Government of National Unity, in the overall there has not been any change in the direction of macroeconomic policies since the sixth administration, despite the fact that these policies have been reproducing the prevailing crisis-levels in the rates of unemployment, poverty and inequalities.
Furthermore, the CEC agreed that under the current administration, there is an intensification of the implementation of the so-called structural reforms that are intended to end the monopoly of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in the infrastructure network industries such as electricity, freight rail and the ports, and now these Neoliberal reforms are extended to the service delivery of water, sanitation, electricity and the roads at municipal level.
On Education, the CEC noted the announcement by the Department of Higher Education and Training that a comprehensive student funding model for higher education, specifically designed for students who fall outside the current NSFAS criteria and those who are regarded as the “missing middle” has been finalised. Furthermore, the DHET states that this funding model shall be implemented over five years and that it has already started with Phase 1 in 2025 in which it has committed an initial capitalization of the fund by R3,8 billion to support 10 000 students.
The CEC called on the DHET to desist from imposing this funding model and subject it to an engagement with students and labour at NEDLAC, which is the forum that developed the current NSFAS bursary scheme after the 2015-2017 students’ uprisings under the banner of the Fees Must Fall.
Furthermore, the CEC agreed that the union must convene the national and provincial education committees in January 2026 to prepare for the convening of the Right to Learn Campaign meetings with the Progressive Youth Alliance and other Progressive Forces to campaign against poor institutional governance for transformation and funding to ensure access in the Post-Schooling Education and Training (PSET) as part of the long-term objective of building a popular front in the education sector.
On health, the CEC agreed that the phased implementation of the NHI Act is increasingly shrouded in doubt, amidst the rolling budget cuts in healthcare that undermine the project of health system strengthening and the lack of a dedicated programme that is nationally and provincially coordinated to fill vacancies, improve occupational health and safety, raise clinical standards, ensure compliance with protocols and the availability of medicine and equipment in public hospitals and clinics.
The CEC directed the union must drive practical activities around the state of the public healthcare system as part of our NHI Campaign and the implementation of the Phase I ahead of the creation of the NHI Fund.
Furthermore, the CEC directed all provinces to sustain our Public Service Delivery Campaign in healthcare, with the national launch anchored in the Johannesburg Health District at the Helen Joseph Hospital during the first quarter of 2026.
The union will exert pressure on the management of health institutions, district authorities and provincial departments with a view to force improvements in service delivery to the certified level of the Office of Health Standards and Compliance (OHSC) in the context of a properly functioning district health system and ultimately to the level of accreditation by the NHI Fund itself. Critically, the union directed all its structures over December holidays to remain vigilant in monitoring the verification process on the full employment of the CHWs guided by the signed implementation agreement by NEHAWU and DoH including working with members towards the day of action in Forensic Pathology component of Health.
Organisational
The CEC spent a great deal of time focusing on the organisational assessment as anchored around the key main activities for the year which included; convening of provincial congress, National Organising, Servicing and Collective Bargaining Conference, 8th COSATU Central Committee and recruitment.
Indeed, the CEC proudly declared that the union successfully implemented the key organisational activities and priorities for the year. The CEC congratulated the union for the sterling job that it did in implementing the organisational priorities for the year.
As part of ramping-up the tasks leading to the 13th National Congress, the CEC agreed to step up recruitment drive targeting the healthcare workers particularly the Community Health Workers (CHWs), nurses, forensic pathologists and the emergency services personnel.
The CEC congratulated the union for victory for the permanent employment of the CHWs, who are the foot-soldiers in the strengthening of primary healthcare as a foundation for the creation of Universal Health Coverage.
Equally, the CEC directed the union to pay particular focus to State Administration in particular the Department of Home Affairs and Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as part of strengthening workplace organization.
The CEC once again condemned the unilateral hiking of the premiums by GEMS without any corresponding positive changes in the benefits. The CEC agreed convene membership meetings in the public service to obtain a mandate on the review of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council [PSCBC] agreement that gave rise to the GEMS. This shall be coupled with a legal opinion for the stay of the implementation of the proposed subscription increments, until a solution is found.
The CEC condemned the reported corruption at the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) and called for expedited action against the suspended CEO upon the completion of investigations over the R1 billion “ghost contract” for new offices, irregular payments and attempts to silence whistleblowers.
Furthermore, the CEC called for an independent review of the new GEPF’s actuarial factors, in the light of the increase in the value of its Assets Under Management (AUM) by 13.1% to a record 2.69 trillion from the previous year.
Lastly, the union shall be convening its 13th National Congress on the 26th – 29th June 2026. The congress shall look at the work of the national union in the implementation of the four year programme of action.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Zola Saphetha (General Secretary) at 082 558 5968;
December Mavuso (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5969;
Lwazi Nkolonzi (NEHAWU National Spokesperson) at 081 558 2335 or email: lwazin@nehawu.org.za
Visit https://www.nehawu.org.za
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