Southern Africa: textile workers call for a Just Transition that safeguards jobs

This common vision emerged at a workshop in Durban, South Africa, on 14–15 August, where 34 union leaders, officials and shop stewards from IndustriALL affiliates, the Amalgamated Trade Unions of Swaziland (ATUSWA) and the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) came together to chart a path towards a fair and sustainable future.
 
The discussions centered on embedding a development-oriented approach within the Just Transition framework for the TGSL sector. Participants advocated shifting from the linear take-make-dispose model to a circular economy emphasizing resource efficiency, waste reduction and sustainable production. Recycling and upcycling, for instance, were highlighted as strategies to curb environmental pollution, conserve water and energy and generate employment.
 
While acknowledging the productivity gains from new technologies, unions emphasized that automation should augment rather than displace workers. To support this, they called for financing to fund upskilling and reskilling programs to equip workers for the transition.

Additionally, mandatory human rights due diligence across TGSL value chains was deemed essential to hold global brands and multinational corporations accountable and safeguard workers’ rights amid the shift to greener economies aligned with climate goals. 
 
Given the sector’s female-dominated workforce, unions stressed the need for gender-inclusive policies addressing workplace gender-based violence and harassment, the gender pay gap and access to childcare, alongside the adoption of living wages to improve livelihoods.
 
Regional integration was identified as critical to bolstering intra-African trade, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in the face of external pressures such as the 30 per cent tariffs imposed by the United States on South African garment exports. Enhanced industrialization, participants argued, could expand the TGSL sector’s manufacturing capacity, creating jobs to address the region’s acute unemployment, poverty and inequality. Statistics South Africa reports an expanded unemployment rate, including discouraged job seekers, of 43.1 per cent. 
 
SACTWU has integrated sustainability into its Just Transition strategy, collaborating with the South African government’s National Cleaner Production Centre and engaging the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to finance solar panel installations in factories. The union also participates in the Southern African SOLTRAIN initiative, which promotes solar thermal systems across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), including solar panels and solar-powered boilermakers in South African factories.
 
ATUSWA national organizer, Bongani Ndzinisa, emphasized:

“In Eswatini’s Just Transition, we stand firm on our demands for trade union rights and freedom of association to be upheld, ensuring workers’ voices are heard and respected.”

 
SACTWU deputy general secretary, Membinkosi Vilina, added:

“As a union, we champion worker ownership of renewable energy assets, ensuring that the wealth generated by new production methods in the textile and garment industries is shared and green jobs created.”

 
IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary, Paule-France Ndessomin, underscored:

“As we navigate the just transition in Sub-Saharan Africa’s textile and garment industries, we must confront the broader impact of emerging technologies like automation and artificial intelligence on the future of work, while fiercely protecting decent working conditions.”

Sub-Saharan Africa youth demand a voice in shaping the future of work

The SSA youth committee, the first regional youth structure established within IndustriALL, brings together twelve representatives from across the region.  

“Since its creation, it has been a driving force in youth work, ensuring that young voices are heard in union strategies and global debates,”

said Sarah Flores, industriALL youth officer.

This year’s International youth Dday coincided with preparations for the committee’s regional meeting to be held in Ghana on 1 September, under the theme “embracing technology and innovation at work”. The theme reflects years of engagement by young trade unionists on the impact of new technologies, from Industry 4.0 and platform work to artificial intelligence and on the future of work.

Since the pandemic, IndustriALL has facilitated discussions in most regions on the opportunities and challenges of technological change. Young workers have consistently demanded a seat at the table, recognizing that these changes will shape their working lives for decades to come. 

A concrete outcome of this demand is the inclusion of two youth representatives in IndustriALL’s Industry 4.0 expert working group, including Dorca Norupiri from IndustriALL affiliate Zimbabwe Diamond Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU), representing the SSA region. 

The committee’s International youth day statement highlights urgent issues facing young workers in Sub-Saharan Africa:

“Despite these challenges, young trade unionists in the region are organizing, innovating and pushing for change. They are advocating for safer workplaces, digital access, gender justice, climate-responsive policies and inclusive leadership. Through campaigns for digital skills and active engagement in union decision-making, they are redefining what it means to be a worker in the 21st century,” 

said Paule Ndessomin, IndustriALL SSA regional secretary.

As the SSA youth committee prepares to gather in Ghana, their message is clear: investing in youth is essential for building strong, sustainable unions capable of advancing workers’ rights, confronting global capital, and driving sustainable industrial policy.

Kenyan oil workers win key concessions in dispute with pipeline company

The agreement follows a seven-day strike notice issued by the union on 24 July, citing long-standing disputes over workers’ rights, performance incentives, and the fate of employees from the soon-to-be-dissolved Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL). The deal also brings critical issues into focus regarding KPRL’s closure and the future of Kenya’s energy infrastructure.

KPOWU, representing workers from both KPC and KPRL, had raised a range of pressing demands. These included the seamless transfer of KPRL workers to KPC with retention of existing terms and conditions, the elimination of discriminatory performance incentives, protection of union officials from intimidation, and urgent attention to unresolved claims, some dating as far back as 2016, related to overtime, standby allowances, and meals.

The union also flagged concerns around corruption at KPC’s Eldoret depot and called for accountability and transparency within the company.

Negotiations, mediated by the energy and petroleum cabinet secretary Opiyo Wandayi, led to meaningful concessions from KPC. Among them:

These outcomes mark a significant victory for KPOWU in its ongoing fight for fairness and justice in Kenya’s oil and gas sector.

“The agreement is a step towards ending serious injustice to workers,”

said George Okoth, KPOWU general secretary.

IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa, Paule-France Ndessomin, welcomed the outcome, expressing solidarity with the union:


“We support KPOWU in their demands for better working conditions and defending workers’ rights,” she said, calling on KPC to continue negotiating in good faith.

KPC, a state-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Energy, plays a central role in Kenya’s petroleum logistics, transporting and storing fuel via a pipeline network that spans from the port city of Mombasa to key inland centres including Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Eldoret.

The company’s acquisition of KPRL in 2023 was aimed at enhancing Kenya’s storage and distribution capacity. As KPRL’s operations are wound down, the integration of its workforce into KPC represents not only a labour victory but a critical step in maintaining stability in the country’s energy supply chain.


 

Senegal’s garment workers demand end to exploitation at Sartorisen

The company, which produces traditional African attire and workwear, employs around 300 workers, the majority of whom are women. Workers report systemic violations, including wage theft, gender-based discrimination, and blatant disregard for national labour laws. Some have gone without pay for up to 13 months, making it impossible to afford transport to work. Several of those affected have worked at Sartorisen for over 15 years.

The lack of written contracts, pay slips, and social protection worsens workers’ vulnerability. Many are facing severe financial hardship, with families struggling to meet basic needs.

During the recent Tabaski holiday (Eid al-Adha), gender-based discrimination became even more evident. Male workers received bonuses of 50,000 CFA (US$87), while their female colleagues, despite forming the majority of the workforce, received only 25,000 CFA (US$44). The disparity has sparked outrage among women workers, who are demanding equal pay for work of equal value.

Sartorisen has so far refused to engage with the workers or the union. The Syndicat National des Travailleurs des Industries de la Confection du Sénégal (SNTICS), an IndustriALL affiliate, has filed complaints with the labour tribunal and the labour inspectorate.

“The union has taken Sartorisen to the labour tribunal for its failure to provide written contracts and social protection. The company must implement labour laws and respect workers’ rights,”

said Doudou Sisse, general secretary of SNTICS.

IndustriALL is standing in full solidarity with the Senegalese garment workers.

“The unfair labour practices, exploitation of workers, and gender discrimination violate national labour laws and international standards. We will continue to support Senegalese unions in their fight for better working conditions and urge the government of Senegal to enforce labour laws,”

said Paule-France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sartorisen operates within Diamniadio’s SEZ, a government initiative intended to attract foreign investment through tax incentives and relaxed regulations. However, the model often leaves workers vulnerable. According to the 2025 ITUC Global Rights Index, labour law enforcement in Senegal remains inconsistent, and union activities are regularly obstructed.

Kenyan court halts Springtech’s unfair dismissals

The decision stems from the dismissal of six workers and the suspension of eleven others at the company’s Mombasa plant, actions the court deemed unlawful and in violation of Kenya’s labour laws and the national constitution which protects freedom of association.
 
The conflict began when six workers joined the Amalgamated Union of Kenya Metalworkers (AUKMW), an IndustriALL affiliate. Their dismissals followed swiftly, prompting eleven colleagues to stage a sit-in demanding an explanation from Springtech’s human resources department. Instead of engaging, management accused the protesting workers of “causing disturbance” and reported them to the police, leading to their arrests and suspensions. The AUKMW responded with an urgent court application, challenging the dismissals and suspensions as unlawful union-busting tactics.
 
The Mombasa court ruled in favour of the union, issuing an injunction that “no termination of employment will be allowed” at Springtech pending further legal review. The ruling aligns with the office of the director of public prosecutions, which declined to prosecute the eleven suspended workers. Citing precedent, the prosecutor argued that a “disturbance” must demonstrably threaten public peace to warrant charges. There was no violation during the workers’ peaceful sit-in, which did not disrupt any citizens activities.
 
IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary, Paule-France Ndessomin, said: 

“The Amalgamed vs Springtech Kenya Limited case highlights broader tensions in some of Kenya’s industrial sector, where firms often resist unionisation to pay low wages and violate workers’ rights to collective bargaining, and we applaud the AUKMW for standing firm on defending workers’ rights.”

 
Rose Omamo, IndustriALL vice president and AUKMW general secretary, described the dismissals as “a clear case of intimidation and harassment” aimed at deterring unionization. “This violates workers’ rights to freedom of association under Kenyan law,” she said, vowing to pursue further legal action to protect union members.
 
The ITUC Global Rights Index (2025) listed Kenya as one of the African countries with systematic violations (rating 4) of workers’ rights which means, “The government and/or companies are engaged in serious efforts to crush the collective voice of workers, putting fundamental rights under threat.” This rating is a few steps away from the worst rating of 5+ “where there are no rights guarantees due to a breakdown in the rule of law.”

Springtech Kenya manufactures leaf springs, bolts and nuts, brake pads and linings, trailer parts and other accessories for the automotive industries.
 

What are South Africa’s green jobs?

The research report by the Sam Tambani Institute (SATRI), the research arm of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), mapping potential green jobs in renewable energy value chains and critical transition minerals (CTMs) like lithium, cobalt and nickel offers a detailed examination of the opportunities and challenges found in this shift. 
 
According to the report, the concept of green jobs remains contested. Many workers in South Africa’s mining and energy sectors associate green jobs only with renewable energy, overlooking opportunities in related fields like CTM exploration, processing and refining. Yet the report identifies significant job creation potential in renewable energy, particularly in manufacturing, construction, installation, operation, maintenance and research and development. However, these roles depend on local value addition and the learning of specialized skills. For instance, engineering, technical and scientific expertise are critical for developing green infrastructure and services, while operational management and monitoring skills will ensure efficient adoption of green technologies.
 
The report highlights that the main concern for trade unions is whether green jobs can offset job losses in the coal sector which employs over 90 000 workers. Further, it outlines South Africa’s energy transition questions on how many jobs will be created, whether they will be in regions like Mpumalanga, where coal-dependent communities face unemployment risks? Can coal miners be reskilled for green roles and will their hard-won rights, such as unionization, be preserved in the renewable sector? The report suggests that without clear answers, unions are unclear on how the transition from coal to renewable energy will benefit workers.
 
The report stresses that skills development is key to unlocking green job opportunities. It states that essential skills are in engineering and technical expertise for manufacturing green infrastructure, scientific knowledge for innovation, operational management to facilitate access to green products and monitoring to optimize the use of renewable energy sources. 
 
To attain the skills, targeted training programmes are needed to equip workers, particularly those transitioning from coal-based industries. For CTMs, job creation hinges on local processing and refining, which requires international technical and financial support to build capacity. 
 
The transition also poses challenges for informal workers, who dominate parts of the green economy in the country, argues the report. With South Africa grappling with a 32.9 per cent unemployment rate which is higher at 60.7 per cent for youth aged 15–24 and 35.7 per cent for women, formalizing green jobs is critical. 
 
IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary, Paule Ndessomin, said:

“We continue to work with research organizations and partners to build knowledge on trade union policy positions on the green economy and the transition to renewable energy and this report is a contribution towards a just and inclusive transition for workers.”

 
The NUM is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union and the research was supported by the IndustriALL regional office for Sub-Saharan Africa and 3F – the United Federation of Danish Workers.
 

Sub-Saharan African unions launch online worker-education platform

The platform leverages technological advances in e-learning and open-access messaging apps to deliver cost-effective workers’ education, aiming to strengthen union capacity and improve workplace conditions in industries such as automotive, battery manufacturing, base metals, chemicals, energy, engineering, mining, oil and gas and textile and garments.
 
The forum responds to the digital transformation reshaping workplaces, emphasizing the need for union commitment to e-learning, language accessibility and tailored educational resources relevant to diverse manufacturing sectors. The forum aims to enhance worker empowerment and union resilience across the region’s industries. 
 
Workers require only a smartphone with internet access to participate, sharing experiences and accessing training. A participatory approach will guide the forum, with a survey determining preferred topics, followed by a flexible programme designed around participants’ schedules.
 
“This forum is for anyone involved in helping workers learn about their rights, improve their working and social conditions and organize for change. Whether through union education programmes, as a worker leader, a shop steward, or an active member supporting others informally, your contribution matters!” reads the forum’s pamphlet. 
 
The initiative seeks to address challenges faced by Sub-Saharan African unions, including limited external solidarity with Global North partners, by strengthening innovative training and organizing strategies. Skills development is seen as critical for unions to retain members amid technological and demographic shifts. 
 
Melanie Jules, IFWEA programme manager for the Online Labour Academy, described the forum as “a global effort to promote worker unity and grassroots education through digital tools, emphasizing flexibility and solidarity.” She said the forum’s approach is not academic but practical in ways that included union approaches to lifelong learning and had potential to reach thousands of workers at the factories where discussions will be in small groups such as study circles. Young and women workers would also benefit together with other marginalized workers making a living in the informal economies.
 

“Workers’ education is important in a region facing shrinking civic spaces, digital divides and limited resources. Trade unions need knowledge on how to confront job loses, low wages, unsafe workplaces and gender-based violence and harassment,” 

said Rose Omamo, IndustriALL vice president.
 
IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary, Paule France Ndessomin, welcomed the platform as a vital step in adapting worker education to the digital era.

“As work evolves, so must our approaches to education to tackle emerging challenges and build trade union power,”

she said. 

Photo: Shutterstock 

Union fury erupts over forced Mothae Mine layoffs

The temporary layoffs, which commenced in June this year, have slashed workers’ wages to 50 per cent of their usual earnings, a move the mine attributes to a slow diamond market in Europe. However, IDUL, an IndustriALL affiliate, has condemned the decision as a breach of labour laws and collective bargaining agreements.

Mothae mine’s layoffs come amid a period of transition for the mine’s ownership. Lucapa stated that its divestment to Lephema Executive Transport in 2024 was part of a strategic retreat to focus on assets in Angola and Australia. The sale, finalised in September 2024, raised questions about the mine’s long-term stability. 

IDUL’s objections centre around the unilateral nature of the layoffs. May Rathakane, IDUL general secretary, said:

“Mothae Diamond Mine must respect trade union rights to collective bargaining and refrain from acting unilaterally where workers’ and trade union rights are concerned.”

He argues that Mothae mine’s management flouted legal obligations by failing to consult the union, as mandated by Lesotho’s labour laws and the recognition agreement with the company. Further, he said IDUL is concerned by the erosion of labour rights in Lesotho’s mining sector, where workers often bear the brunt of market volatility. IDUL says the government of Lesotho, which had expressed interest in acquiring Lucapa’s stake and is a shareholder, must intervene to safeguard jobs and ensure compliance with labour standards.
 
IndustriALL director for mining and diamonds, Glen Mpufane, criticised the use of market downturns as a pretext for wage cuts:

“Market volatility is not an excuse to withhold full wages. Diamond mining companies must plan for booms and slumps rather than sacrificing workers’ wages.”

The Mothae mine in Mokhotlong in the Maluti Mountains, in Lesotho’s Butha-Buthe district, has been a significant economic contributor since commercial production began in 2019. Initially developed by Lucara Diamond Corporation, the mine was acquired by Australia-based Lucapa Diamond Company in 2017, which held a 70 per cent stake until its sale in 2024 to local mining and construction company, Lephema Executive Transport.

The Government of Lesotho retains a 30 per cent stake, underscoring the mine’s strategic importance to the nation’s economy, which relies heavily on diamond exports which contribute 6-10 per cent of the country's GDP. In the past, Mothae has unearthed gem quality kimberlites that included a 215-carat diamond.
 
 
 

Calls to save jobs as Goodyear Tyres retrenches 907 workers in South Africa

Goodyear announced the closure on 2 June saying it is shifting to a tyre import-based model in which it will only retain its retail business.
 
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), an affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union, says it was dismayed by the announcement and has received notices to retrench 907 workers and will start engaging in consultations with the tyre manufacturer through the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
 

“We are deeply worried about the impact on workers and their families. Whilst the outlook is bleak, we stand ready as a union to do everything we can to defend the jobs of our members, and negotiate for fair severance packages,”

said Mziyanda Twani, NUMSA regional secretary for the Eastern Cape.
 
NUMSA fears that Kariega, formerly Uitenhage, will become a ghost town after the closure of other tyre plants by ContiTech and Bridgestone. The union says this will worsen poverty in a province that has the highest unemployment rate in the country which is 41.9 per cent according to Statistics South Africa.
 
IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary, Paule-France Ndessomin, said:

“We are in solidarity with NUMSA strategies to engage the government on incentives to support local manufacturing and save jobs. This is critical for the survival of tyre manufacturing industries and the industrialization of South Africa. Import-based models create fewer jobs and destroy local beneficiation.”

 
South Africa’s tyre industry is concentrated in key hubs that include Gqeberha, Brits and Kariega and supplies mainly the replacement market for passenger cars and heavy commercial trucks. The industry also supplies to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) including BMW, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen and Isuzu. But it faces stiff competition from low-cost tyre imports from China and imported used tyres. This prompted the International Trade and Administration Commission (ITAC) to impose anti-dumping duties on Chinese tyres in 2023.
 
The South African Automotive Action Plan (SAAP) 2021-2035, the primary industrial framework supporting tyre manufacturing promotes localization, investment incentives, job creation and skills development, and trade protections to boost the automotive value chain. The incentives are provided through the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP).

Photo: Shutterstock

New research probes how workers in Southern Africa are reclaiming the Just Transition in critical minerals

The project, part of a broader initiative involving five research teams across Southern and Eastern Africa, is titled Fighting Back: Labour fragmentation and capital in the Just Transition and feminist eco-socialism. Supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Wits University’s Centre for Researching Education and Labour, the study examines the interplay of labour, capital and state dynamics in the shift to low-carbon economies.

Focusing on critical minerals mining, coal, renewable energy and logistics, the research spans case studies in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. The study will investigate case studies on the impact of mining critical minerals — such as copper, cobalt and manganese in Zambia and lithium in Zimbabwe — on domestic economies and working conditions in both formal and informal economies.

Key questions include how workers are organizing to improve conditions, their relationships with established trade unions and the forms of labour organizing needed for a worker centric Just Transition.
 
The study engages a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including IndustriALL affiliates the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ), the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) and the Zimbabwe Energy Workers Union (ZEWU) alongside government ministries, artisanal miners, women in mining, mine-affected communities, traditional leaders, civil society and multinational mining corporations.

Sites of the research are Chinese multinational corporation Sinomine’s Bikita Minerals in Zimbabwe and artisanal and small-scale mining on the Zambian Copper Belt and the Northwestern Province. Central themes include green extractivism, the mineral-energy complex, feminist eco-socialism and trade union revitalization, with a focus on innovative organizing strategies amid industrial transitions. The findings of the research will be published in December 2025.
 

“This research will yield critical insights into fostering an equitable and sustainable future for workers,” 

said Professor Ruth Castel-Branco, senior researcher at SCIS and the research project lead.
 
IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary, Paule-France Ndessomin, said:

“As critical minerals drive the global shift to low-carbon, amplifying insider perspectives of the workers is critical and this study aims to ensure that labour’s voice remains central to the Just Transition narrative,”

emphasizing the importance of trade unions in shaping knowledge production and engaging in social dialogue.