The Post and Telecommunication Workers' Association (POTWA) was a

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

representing workers in the communications industry in

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

. The union was founded in January 1986 in

Soweto Soweto () is a township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western Townships''. Formerly a s ...

, led by Khabisi Mosunkutu. It had 10,000 members by the end of the year, and soon affiliated to the

Congress of South African Trade Unions The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is a trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions ...

. By 1993, it had grown to 23,081 members. In May 1996, it merged with the Post Office Employees' Association, and the South African Post Telecommunication Employees' Association, to form the Communication Workers Union.{{cite book , last1=Horwitz , first1=Robert , title=Communication and Democratic Reform in South Africa , date=2006 , publisher=Cambridge University Press , location=Cambridge , isbn=9780521030977

References

Communications trade unions Trade unions established in 1986 Trade unions disestablished in 1996 Trade unions in South Africa