South Africa’s new labor organization, the Radical Action Federation of Trade Unions (Raftu), was formed in the last week of October, led by Bishop Timothy Ngcobo, formerly the secretary general of the National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA). NICSA itself had been formed at former President Jacob Zuma’s initiative early in his first term, through the merging of two existing organizations.
Ngcobo, quoted by IOL on Oct. 30, said: “We will be fighting to ensure that workers in this country are fully liberated from the clutches of the employers. We want to incorporate all the people who voted for the MK Party during the elections into this new labor federation movement.” He explained “that Raftu aims to advocate for workers at all levels, specifically targeting those in often-overlooked positions such as cleaners and security personnel.”
