National / Labour Nonpayment of subscription fees keeps Cosatu’s finances in the red BL PREMIUM

The debt accumulated by Cosatu affiliates in unpaid subscriptions accounted for 41% of the federation’s expected total income in 2017 at over R45m. The figures, contained in Cosatu’s finance report yet to be tabled before its national congress in Midrand this week, painted a bleak picture of the country’s biggest federation’s finances which ran into a deficit in 2015. Cosatu generates its income primarily through affiliation fees which sustain its operations, including the payment of salaries to staff which accounted for 30% of the total budget in 2017. In the same year, the federation expected R74m in affiliation fees and received just above half of the amount. During his final speech to delegates at the congress, outgoing Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini berated union leaders for hogging money that belonged to workers, negatively affecting campaigns of the organisation. "What makes you leaders not pay over the R3 (for each member) to Cosatu every month … I wish you will discuss this...