The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) 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 transport workers, and at times workers in other sectors, in South Africa. The union was founded in 1973, inspired by the

PUTCO The Public Utility Transport Corporation (PUTCO) is a provider of commuter bus services in the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo, and the western parts of Mpumalanga in South Africa. PUTCO was established in 1945 after the bus strike of 1944. P ...

workers' strike in

Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name Transvaal. * South African Republic (1856–1902; af, ...

the previous year. It set up headquarters in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

, but represented workers in Transvaal,

Natal NATAL or Natal may refer to: Places * Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil * Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa ** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843) ** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...

and the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

. The majority of its members worked in passenger and good transport, but it also had significant membership in hospitals, cleaning, security and cement, in addition to municipal workers in all sectors. In 1974, the union affiliated to the Trade Union Advisory Co-ordinating Council, and in 1979 it was a founding affiliate of the

Federation of South African Trade Unions The Federation of South African Trade Unions (FOSATU) was a trade union federation in South Africa. History The federation was formed at a congress over the weekend of 14–15 April 1979 in Hammanskraal and officially launched five days l ...

(FOSATU). Its membership varied from 44,500 in 1977, down to only 4,500 in 1980, but back up to 18,281 in 1986. In 1985, it transferred to FOSATU's successor, 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 ...

. The following year it absorbed the rival General Workers' Union, along with three small unions: the Amalgamated Cleaners' Union of South Africa, Cleaning Services and Allied Workers' Union, and South African Scooter Transport and Allied Workers' Union. Refocused on transport, cleaning and security, its other members were gradually transferred to other unions; for example, those in metalworking and engineering moved to the

National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is the biggest single trade union in South Africa with more than 338,000 members, and prior to its expulsion on 8 November 2014, the largest affiliate of the Congress of South African T ...

in 1987. In the late 1990s, the TGWU began negotiations on a merger with the

South African Railways and Harbours Union The South African Railways and Harbours Union was formed by black workers of the South African Railways and Harbours Administration after they had been expelled from the National Union of Railway and Harbour Servants. Formation Rachel Simons, ...

; by this point, the TGWU had about 50,000 members. The merger was finally completed on 18 May 2000, forming the

South African Transport and Allied Workers Union The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) is a trade union in South Africa. History In the late 1990s, the South African Railways and Harbours Union (SARHWU) and Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) were both affiliat ...

.{{cite web , title=The History of SATATWU , url=https://www.satawu.org.za/our-history/ , website=SATATWU , access-date=7 March 2021

General Secretaries

:1970s: Isobel Shongwe :1985: Jane Barratt :1989:

Nkosinathi Nhleko Nkosinathi Phiwayinkosi Thamsanqa Nhleko, popularly known as Nathi Nhleko, is a former South African Minister of Police. Nhleko served in parliament as Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, chairperson of ...

:1994:

Randall Howard Randall Howard (born 1961) is a former South African trade unionist. Born in the Bonteheuwel area of Cape Town, Howard was the second-oldest of fourteen children. After completing school, he worked to support his family. From 1986, he worked a ...

References

Trade unions established in 1973 Trade unions disestablished in 2000 Trade unions in South Africa Transportation trade unions