The Federation of Free African Trade Unions of South Africa (FOFATUSA) was a national trade union federation for unions representing black workers in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

History

Unions representing black workers were not permitted to affiliate to the

Trade Union Council of South Africa The Trade Union Council of South Africa (TUCSA) was a national trade union federation in South Africa. History The council was founded in October 1954 by 61 unions which split from the South African Trades and Labour Council. They decided that on ...

(TUCSA), as in order to register with the

Government of South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a parliamentary republic with three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a parliamentary system. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa. Executive authority ...

, it only admitted unions representing white and "coloured" workers. While many unions of black workers joined the left-wing

South African Congress of Trade Unions The South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) was a national trade union federation in South Africa. History The federation was established in March 1955, after right wing unions dissolved the South African Trades and Labour Council in 1954 to ...

, five more right-wing unions remained informally linked with TUCSA affiliates. Late in 1959, they decided to form their own federation, FOFATUSA. FOFATUSA was linked with the Pan-African Congress, and also affiliated to the

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) was an international trade union. It came into being on 7 December 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), and was dissolved on 31 October 2006 when ...

, which funded many of its activities.

Lucy Mvubelo Lucy Buyaphi Mvubelo (1920 – 30 October 2000) was a South African trade unionist. Born Lucy Twala in Johannesburg, she was educated at the Inanda Seminary School before becoming a teacher. She married McKenzie Mvubelo, but in 1942 left t ...

was appointed as its president, while Jacob Nyaose became its general secretary, and Sarah Chitja was national secretary. While the federation aimed to expand its activities, this did not occur. By 1962, its fifteen affiliates had a total of only 17,280 members. That year, TUCSA permitted unions of black workers to affiliate, and FOFATUSA declined. It was dissolved in 1966, with its remaining affiliates transferring to TUCSA.

Affiliates

In 1962, the federation had the following affiliates: {, class="wikitable sortable" ! Union !! Membership (1962) , - , African Bakers' Industrial Union , , 3,000 , - , African Broom and Brush Workers' Union , , 500 , - , African Motor Industry Union , , 200 , - , African Railway Workers' Union , , 530 , - , African Sheet Workers' Union , , 400 , - , African Tobacco Workers' Union , , 4,000 , - , Garment Workers' Union of African Women , , 6,740 , - , General Workers' Union (Durban) , , 153 , - , General Workers' Union (Johannesburg) , , 300 , - , General Workers' Union (Pretoria) , , 150 , - , Match and Allied Workers' Union , , 113 , - , Quarry and Slate Workers' Union , , 247 , - , Salt and Allied Workers' Union , , 150 , - , Soap, Candle and Edible Oils Union , , 300

References

National trade union centres of South Africa Trade unions established in 1959 Trade unions disestablished in 1966