SAFTU (South African Federation of Trade Unions) has condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal assassination of community activist and organiser Mokoena Letsie, who was gunned down in Potchefstroom in what all indications suggest was a targeted political killing.
A statement issued on behalf of SAFTU by the General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, reads:
‘According to reports, Comrade Letsie was shot sixteen times at point-blank range by two armed assassins.
This was not an ordinary criminal act.
This bears all the hallmarks of a calculated political assassination aimed at silencing a militant voice of the poor, the working class, and shack dwellers.
SAFTU sends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, comrades, and the broader community structures with whom Comrade Letsie worked tirelessly.
We are deeply alarmed that this is reportedly not the first attempt on his life.
The allegations that his shack had previously been sprayed with bullets and that he had received threats over a prolonged period demand urgent and independent investigation.
South Africa cannot normalise the assassination of activists, whistleblowers, community organisers, trade unionists, and political dissidents.
The growing trend of violence against those who organise poor communities and challenge corruption, landlessness, inequality, evictions, and social injustice is a direct threat to democracy itself.
Comrade Mokoena Letsie reportedly organised among informal settlement communities, fought against the brutalisation of shack dwellers, and stood firmly in solidarity with oppressed people internationally, including the people of Palestine.
Whether one agreed with his politics or not, no political disagreement can ever justify assassination.
SAFTU calls on the South African Police Service to leave no stone unturned in identifying:
- The gunmen who carried out this murder
- Those who financed the assassination
- Those who planned and ordered it; and
- Any political, criminal, or business networks connected to this killing.
The investigation must be handled with urgency, professionalism, transparency, and independence. South Africans have seen too many political killings end without arrests, prosecutions, or convictions. Impunity only encourages further assassinations.
We further call on civil society organisations, community movements, progressive formations, and democratic forces to unite against the growing criminalisation and violent suppression of activism.
Political contestation must never be settled through bullets.
The deepening social crisis of unemployment, poverty, hunger, inequality, corruption, collapsing public services, and worsening living conditions has generated rising anger and protest in working class communities.
Instead of responding with repression, intimidation, assassinations, or violence, the state and political establishment must address the root causes of the crisis.
SAFTU reiterates that the struggle for land, housing, electricity, jobs, dignity, and freedom for the working class and the poor cannot be killed through assassinations.
We salute the courage and commitment of Comrade Mokoena Letsie.
Hamba kahle qhawe.’
Meanwhile, The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has noted ‘with disgust and outright condemnation the reckless, insulting and anti-worker remarks’ attributed to the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, during the handover of the Financial Recovery Plan at Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the North West, on 29 May 2026.
According to media reports, Minister Godongwana alleged that workers at Ditsobotla Local Municipality only work ten days a month and are often seen drinking alcohol in parks during working hours.
In a strong statement, SAMWU said: ‘These remarks are not only irresponsible, they are a direct attack on the dignity, integrity and livelihoods of municipal workers who continue to render services under some of the most difficult and unbearable working conditions in the municipality.
‘What makes the Minister’s remarks even more callous is that workers at Ditsobotla have themselves been victims of the municipality’s collapse.
‘These are workers who have gone for months without receiving their salaries on time. These are workers whose third-party deductions, including medical aid and pension fund contributions, have not been paid over for months, placing their healthcare, retirement security and family wellbeing at risk.
‘It is therefore deeply offensive for the Minister to stand on a public platform and attack workers who have already been subjected to financial hardship, uncertainty and indignity by the very municipality that employs them.
‘SAMWU rejects with contempt the attempt by the Minister to reduce the deep-rooted crisis at Ditsobotla to a lazy and dangerous stereotype about workers.
‘Municipal workers did not collapse Ditsobotla. Municipal workers did not pass unfunded budgets. Municipal workers did not preside over years of political infighting, instability, poor governance, financial mismanagement and the destruction of basic systems of administration.
‘Municipal workers did not create the crisis that has rendered the municipality unable to meet its obligations to communities and workers.
‘The crisis at Ditsobotla is a political, governance and administrative crisis. It is a crisis born out of instability in leadership, factional battles, poor oversight, lack of consequence management, and years of failure to build a capable local state.
‘For the Minister of Finance to stand before the public and single out workers as though they are the principal cause of the municipality’s collapse is dishonest, opportunistic and unacceptable.
‘As SAMWU, we are not opposed to accountability. Where there are allegations of misconduct against any employee, the employer must follow proper processes in terms of the law, collective agreements and disciplinary procedures.
‘Workers cannot be tried and convicted through public statements by politicians. If the Minister has evidence against any employee, that evidence must be handed to the municipality and processed lawfully.
‘What we will not accept is the public vilification of all workers on the basis of untested allegations and hearsay.
‘Minister Godongwana’s remarks do not come as a surprise. This is the same Minister who, through National Treasury, wrote to the City of Johannesburg in an attempt to reverse the Politically Facilitated Agreement, an agreement concluded to correct long-standing wage disparities affecting municipal workers.
‘This confirms what SAMWU has been saying, that National Treasury has increasingly positioned itself as an anti-worker institution that seeks to interfere in collective bargaining, undermine negotiated agreements and dictate to municipalities how workers must be treated.
‘As SAMWU, we are convinced that National Treasury is run by people who are hostile to workers and their gains. Treasury cannot continue to behave as though it is a bargaining party when it is not. It cannot sit outside bargaining structures, wait for workers and employers to conclude agreements, and then emerge through letters, circulars and financial recovery plans to undermine those agreements.
‘We do not negotiate with National Treasury, and we will not allow National Treasury to impose itself as a shadow employer over municipal workers.
‘Treasury cannot starve municipalities of resources, impose rigid financial recovery plans, interfere in collective bargaining, and then blame workers for the collapse of services.
‘This anti-worker posture must be rejected.’
