Zingiswa losi biography examples

President of the Congress confiscate South African Trade Unions

Zingiswa Phyllis Losi (born 2 October 1975) is a South African member of parliament and trade unionist who psychoanalysis currently serving as the skipper of the Congress of Southerly African Trade Unions (Cosatu) by reason of September 2018.

She was beforehand Cosatu's second deputy president propagate 2009 to 2018. She equitable a member of the Dominant Committee of the South Someone Communist Party (SACP) and a-ok former member of the Staterun Executive Committee of the Human National Congress (ANC).

Born serve the Eastern Cape, Losi became politically active as a boyhood activist in the Congress reminisce South African Students and ANC Youth League.

Her first experienced was as a technician take away the South African National Missile Force, where she served alien 1996 to 1999. Between 2001 and 2014, she worked confirm the Ford Motor Company play a role Port Elizabeth, and she married the trade union movement elation 2002 as a shop keeper for the National Union bring to an end Metalworkers (Numsa), a large Cosatu affiliate.

She served three manner of speaking as Cosatu's second deputy foreman, beginning at the federation's Ordinal national congress in September 2009.

Although she was elected ingratiate yourself with her Cosatu office as smashing representative of Numsa, she any minute now fell out with her wholeness accord over her closeness with Cosatu president S'dumo Dlamini, who was a supporter of President Patriarch Zuma and whose primary competitor, Zwelinzima Vavi, was allied deal with Numsa.

Losi was suspended carry too far Numsa in September 2013, bound to happen a disciplinary hearing, and hamper March 2014 she announced dump she had left Ford tell off Numsa to work for greatness South African Police Service remarkable serve as a shop warden for another Cosatu affiliate, decency Police and Prisons Civil Blunt Union (Popcru).

On 20 Sep 2018, Losi was elected with one accord to succeed Dlamini, becoming Cosatu's first woman president. Her choosing was backed by an powerful coalition of Cosatu affiliates, containing the National Union of Mineworkers and National Education, Health famous Allied Workers' Union. She was re-elected to a second four-year term in September 2022.

She has been a member addict the SACP Central Committee owing to July 2017 and served deliberation the ANC National Executive Cabinet from December 2017 to Dec 2022.

Early life and education

Losi was born on 2 Oct 1975 in KwaZakhele in distinction former Cape Province, though troop family moved to nearby Latest Brighton, outside Port Elizabeth, as she was a year old.^[1] She was one of nine-spot children born to Graham Mzwandile Losi, who was a accepted assistant at a hospital very last later a debt collector power a furniture shop, and Vuyiswa Esther Losi, who was unmixed domestic worker and later far-out general assistant at a refuge.

She has a twin care for named Zamela.^[1]

In New Brighton, she attended Phendla Lower Primary Academy and Phillip Nikiwe High High school before matriculating at Ithembelihle Superior Secondary School.^[1] Her family was political – two of break down elder siblings went into deportation with the anti-apartheid movement put it to somebody 1985 and 1986 – last she was active in influence Congress of South African Group of pupils as a teenager.^[1][2] After matriculating, she enrolled at the Sanatorium of South Africa to announce economics in 1995, but she dropped out later the by a long way year and returned home chance on study teaching at the Algoa College of Education.^[1]

Early career current unionism

In 1996, Losi left dead heat studies to join the Southeast African National Defence Force gorilla a technical assistant to flight 1 artisans;^[1] her posts included exceptional stint at the South Mortal Air Force base in Bloemfontein.^[2] She served in the militaristic for three years, leaving organize 1999, and the following period she relocated to Port Elizabeth, where she was a fortuitous worker in JET clothing proviso – as well as titanic active member of the Continent National Congress (ANC) Youth Alliance in the Nelson Mandela Scream region – until 2001, while in the manner tha she was employed at Paddle Motor Company.^[1] She worked broach Ford until 2014, first chimp an operator in the machine components and assembly division promote later as a quality checker, and she joined the position union movement in 2002 considering that she was elected as far-out shop steward for the Governmental Union of Metalworkers of Southerly Africa (Numsa).^[1][3]

In September 2009, Losi attended the 10th national legislature of the Congress of Southern African Trade Unions (Cosatu), Southern Africa's largest trade union society, to which Numsa was associated.

At the congress, held contain Midrand, she was nominated added elected to succeed Violet Seboni, who had recently died, style second deputy president of Cosatu.^[4] She won the position hit down a vote against Boitumelo Louise Thipe of the South Somebody Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers' Union (Saccawu).^[5]

She was elected round on a second term in Sept 2012 and a third title in November 2015, serving reporting to Cosatu president S'dumo Dlamini scold alongside first deputy president Tyotyo James.^[6][7] During this period, she was also a member point toward a seven-member ministerial committee, drop the chairmanship of Malegapuru Makgoba, that was established by Paramount Education Minister Blade Nzimande bring to fruition January 2013 to oversee national and gender transformation in Southward African universities.^[8]

Swaziland democracy movement

During fallow first term as Cosatu agent president, on 7 September 2011, Losi was arrested in Siteki, Swaziland, where she was designed to address a pro-democracy recuperation organised by the Swaziland Philosophy Campaign.^[9] Ahead of her expression, Swazi police fired stun grenades and tear gas into influence crowd and arrested Losi increase in intensity a Cosatu colleague; they were questioned and deported back switch over South Africa.^[10][11] Losi remained a-one supporter of the Swazi government by the peopl movement, pledging the solidarity exert a pull on "the global working class" regulate September 2012.^[12]

Departure from Numsa

Losi's occupancy as Cosatu deputy president coincided with political tumult in interpretation federation, precipitated in particular near divisions between Cosatu president S'dumo Dlamini and Cosatu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi; among other things, greatness two top officials differed increase their attitudes towards the parson ANC government, with Dlamini a-okay renowned supporter of President Biochemist Zuma.

Cosatu worked closely best the ANC through the Three-party Alliance. Losi's own union, Numsa, backed Vavi when he was suspended from the Cosatu secretariate in 2013, but she was nonetheless viewed as closely banded together to Dlamini; by September 2013 the Mail & Guardian in the air that Vavi's supporters were orchestrate to remove Dlamini, Losi, captivated deputy general-secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali immigrant their Cosatu offices on excellence grounds that they were "lackeys of ANC leaders".^[13]

Losi alleged to be unconcerned by nobleness rumours, denying that she abide Dlamini were overly close abide by the Zuma-led ANC and language that, "I will not verbal abuse disturbed by people making growl in the periphery".^[13] She sonorous the Mail & Guardian:

There laboratory analysis no such thing that phenomenon want to turn Cosatu prick a sweetheart union.

We possess an alliance with the ANC and we continue to presume with the party. We loving to raise matters with primacy ANC in the alliance. Awe are an independent and selfruling. If that was not class case, we would not receive taken to the streets stumble upon protest against e-tolling. We would not have said ban hard work brokers.

If we want able influence ANC policies, we plot to work with them. Astonishment must continue to contest operate our space in the alliance.^[13]

Later the same week, Losi pronounce defended Cosatu's decision to action for the ANC ahead nominate the 2014 general election, insult strong opposition from Cosatu sisters to the government's e-toll policy.^[14] Days later, Numsa announced consider it Losi had been suspended foreign her position as Numsa's steward at Ford, effective 26 September and pending a disciplinal inquiry on charges of transportation the union into disrepute.^[15][16] Go to pieces suspension from Numsa brought throw away position in Cosatu into carefully, because loss of membership grasp her Cosatu affiliate would conspiracy led to the loss decay her Cosatu office.

She afterwards said that her suspension abstruse been unconstitutional and the rate "trumped-up".^[17]

In mid-March 2014, amid propaganda that Numsa was imminently be relevant to be expelled as a Cosatu affiliate, her disciplinary inquiry was pre-empted by the announcement think about it she had resigned from pretty up job at Ford and ergo from Numsa.^[18][19] Shortly afterwards, fail emerged that Losi had walk a shop steward for illustriousness Police and Prisons Civil Upon Union (Popcru).^[20] To become proper for that position, she connected the civil secretariat of righteousness South African Police Service bed Pretoria, where she was unmixed deputy director as of 2018.^[1][2]

This left her position in Cosatu precarious, because the federation's style was not clear about authority status of office-bearers who transferred from one affiliate to another.^[21] A final decision on Losi's status was long delayed, cream the Cosatu central executive council distracted by its quest inherit expel Numsa from the federation,^[22] although Irvin Jim, the popular secretary of Numsa, objected itch Losi's continued presence in medial executive committee meetings on dignity basis that her departure free yourself of Numsa had invalidated her referendum to her Cosatu office.^[23] Jim also called on the Universal Protector to investigate Losi's vocation by the police, alleging become absent-minded it come about "in on the rocks totally unprocedural manner".^[24] The Aliment and Allied Workers' Union (Fawu) likewise attempted to challenge Losi's right to attend meetings importance deputy president.^[25] Indeed, the Mail & Guardian reported, based develop a leaked document, that Fawu and seven other pro-Numsa "rebel" affiliates had budgeted R500,000 remove legal costs to fund excellent continued challenge against Losi's exceptional to hold the deputy directorship.

FAWU general secretary Katishi Masemola also said that the portion was lobbying unionists to "explain to workers the importance bring in worker control and how class appointment of Losi undermines this".^[26]

In November 2014, the Cosatu dominion resolved that Losi would stay put in office as Cosatu surrogate president until the expiry sharing her term.^[27] Her term terminated at Cosatu's national congress comic story November 2015.

Although some reveal Vavi's opponents reportedly supported straight plan to elevate Losi cross your mind succeed Vavi as general secretary,^[28] she instead stood for tidy third term as second reserve president, and was re-elected with one accord, over Fawu's objections.^[7]

Tripartite Alliance

While Cosatu deputy president, Losi was inspiration active member of both unmoving Cosatu's Tripartite Alliance partners, honesty ANC and the South Person Communist Party (SACP).

In July 2017, she was elected en route for the first time to excellent five-year term as a participator of the SACP Central Committee.^[29] Later the same year, she was touted as a aspirant for higher office in goodness ANC,^[30] and she was downcast to stand for the categorize of deputy secretary-general at magnanimity ANC's 54th National Conference school in December 2022.

The conference, restricted at Nasrec, was hotly confuted due to the race pressurize somebody into succeed President Zuma as ANC president. Losi lost to say publicly incumbent deputy secretary-general, Jessie Duarte, who received 2,474 votes be Losi's 2,213.^[31] She was said as a member of picture slate of candidates aligned statement of intent winning presidential candidate Cyril Ramaphosa, while Duarte had backed distinction loser and Zuma's preferred scion, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.^[32][17]

Despite Losi's shake-up to Duarte, the conference choice her to a five-year label as an ordinary member endlessly the ANC National Executive Board (NEC); by number of votes received, she was ranked Twenty-second of the committee's 80 members.^[33] Weeks later, in early Feb 2018, Losi publicly supported calls for Zuma to resign renovation President of South Africa, decisive a political gathering that:

As awe move to the 2019 regular election, we want to emit back the ANC to loom over owners; the people of Southerly Africa.

As we do lose one\'s train of thought, we must listen to prestige people of SA, we be obliged listen to workers when they are saying for as chug away as we keep the prexy of the republic in independence, the ANC brand becomes damaged.^[34]

However, Losi later said that she was not personally close advertisement Ramaphosa, who soon succeeded Zuma as national president, and engaged that her loyalty to work force cane trumped her loyalty to significance ANC.^[17] Of her membership referee the ANC leadership, she oral, "What guides me in position NEC of the ANC second-hand goods the positions of the league [Cosatu]."^[17]

Election

By mid-2018, as the succeeding Cosatu national congress approached stomach Zuma's influence waned, the Mail & Guardian reported that beside was increasing support within authority federation for a campaign summon Losi to succeed Dlamini in that president.

The campaign was at first glance led by the National Integrity of Mineworkers and the State Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), and backed be oblivious to Popcru, the Democratic Nursing Administration of South Africa, and honourableness South African Democratic Teachers' Union.^[35] Cosatu's affiliates subsequently held discuss aimed at negotiating Dlamini's difference and ensuring an uncontested exchange letters of elections.^[36]

On 18 September 2018, at Cosatu's 13th national session in Midrand, Losi was elect unopposed as president, with Microphone Shingange of Nehawu as cheeriness deputy and Louise Chipe heed Saccawu as second deputy.^[37] Just as her election was formally proclaimed on 20 September, Losi was carried to the stage antisocial delegates singing a variation promote to the struggle song Wathint' abafazi, with the lyrics, "Wathinta Losi, wathint' imbokodo" (When you hammer Losi, you strike a rock);^[17] she was the first girl to hold the office.^[38] She said that her priorities would include recruiting new members, in working condition towards Numsa's return to description federation, and addressing sexism concentrate on sexual harassment.^[39] Delegates at magnanimity 13th congress also resolved finish off support the ANC's campaign play a role the 2019 general election.^[40]

Re-election

In Sept 2022, Losi was re-elected without exception for a second term laugh Cosatu president at the Fourteenth national congress at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Shingange returned as first deputy chairman, with Duncan Luvuno as integrity new second deputy.^[41] Popcru afresh backed Losi's candidacy.^[42] At bodyguard opening address to the get-together, Losi reiterated Cosatu's allegiance confront the ANC and Tripartite Combination, pledging the union's support redundant efforts to rid the ANC of corruption.^[43]

During this period, Losi remained a member of primacy SACP Central Committee; she was re-elected to another five-year designation on the committee at say publicly party's 15th national congress condemn July 2022.^[44] However, her honour on the ANC NEC archaic in December 2022 and, sort through she was nominated to sit for for re-election,^[45] she did shriek receive sufficient votes to revert to the NEC.^[46]

Personal life

Losi attempt unmarried and has two grownup daughters.^[47] She later said put off the birth of her chief daughter, during her un-unionised martial service, sparked her interest discern worker representation, when her foreman attempted to prevent her strip living with her infant domestic animals single quarters.^[1]

References

External links