Tomorrow, on the 9th of February 2008, we shall gather in Uitenhage to salute and pay our last respects to Cde Phumzile John Gomomo, the former President of COSATU who sadly left us on 22nd of January 2008. (Note from the Editor: This letter from the President of the ANC was published on ANC Today on Friday, the 8th of February 2008).

Some of us will be departing for Tinarha from the beautiful city of Cape Town, following today's State of the Nation Address (SoNA) by the President of the Republic, Cde Thabo Mbeki. We will be laying Cde Gomomo to rest after an occasion that is in itself a reminder and a celebration of the hard won freedom that he sacrificed so much for.

Cde Gomomo, a veteran of the struggle of our people for freedom and justice, led COSATU during the taxing transitional period, from 1991 to 1999. This was the hectic period of multiparty negotiations, leading to the first democratic elections and the beginning of the mammoth task of the fundamental transformation of our country. The need to balance the demands for urgent transformation, with the apprehension of some quarters of our society which prevailed at the time, required mature leadership, which Cde Gomomo and the alliance leadership collective ably provided.

Cde Gomomo served the struggle with dedication in various capacities - as a fulltime shopsteward of the National Union of Metalworkers at the VW plant in Uitenhage, as President of COSATU, and as a member of the Central Committee of the South African Communist Party. He also served as an ANC Member of Parliament since 1999. He participated in various parliamentary portfolio committees such as those on Trade and Industry and Agriculture and Land Affairs. At the time of his death he chaired the Public Service and Administration portfolio committee.

As the ANC parliamentary caucus stated in its condolence message, Comrade Gomomo will be remembered as a true servant of the people and a disciplined and a selfless cadre of the movement.

Cde Gomomo's passing on has reminded us of the significant, historical and very fruitful relationship that has existed for decades between the trade union movement and the ANC.

In its Statement of Policy, adopted at the First Annual National Conference, of the SA Congress of Trade Unions in March 1956, SACTU stated: "While the South African Congress of Trade Unions must thus pursue an independent policy in the interests of the workers, it must also participate unreservedly in the struggle to mobilize the people behind their demands as embodied in the Freedom Charter and must cooperate with all other organizations engaged in this struggle".

This realization of the dialectical link between the trade union movement and the ANC was also emphasized by illustrious leaders of our movement. Inkosi Albert Luthuli stated in May 1959: "I am glad that SACTU has not listened to the ill advice that they should not be interested in politics. There is a Zulu saying that if you are pricked by a thorn you also have to use a thorn to get it out. Workers are oppressed by political action; they must take political action in reply''. (as quoted in the book entitled The History of the SA Congress of Trade Unions, by Ken Luckhardt and Brenda Wall).

This dictum guided SACTU, and later COSATU as evidenced by the pivotal role that the federation has played in the struggle for liberation, as well as in the struggle for fundamental transformation.

In response, the workers have demonstrated their unwavering support for COSATU and what it stands for, by continuing to join COSATU affiliates and to confirm its role as the leading worker's movement in our country. At its launch in 1985, Cosatu represented less than half a million workers organised in 33 unions. It currently boasts more than two million workers, of whom at least 1.8 million are paid up. The growth defies the trend of a general decline in union membership worldwide. We should credit COSATU stalwarts such as Cde Gomomo for laying the foundation for the tenacity and popularity of the federation.

A strong COSATU means a strong Alliance, and a stronger worker voice in the Alliance. It means the ANC in government and outside will be always be kept fully in touch with the needs and aspirations of the workers, something Cde Gomomo fought hard to achieve.

As we celebrate the life of Cde Gomomo, we also acknowledge the culture of open debate that he espoused and practiced.As COSATU President, Cde Gomomo was very forthright. He sharply articulated his discomfort with positions that the ANC government adopted, if he felt that these were against worker interests.

He aptly explained the position COSATU had taken as early as 1997, in his Presidential address to the 6th annual congress of the federation. He stated: "We commit ourselves to engage in debate, formulation and implementation of progressive policies, and to continue to engage in struggles to ensure success in rebuilding our country based on the needs of the majority. Mass mobilisation and mass action by COSATU must be seen within this context. It is not a form of opposition to the government and the ANC, or a challenge to the ANC as some would want the public to believe, but a way to indicate support for progressive policies being introduced by the government, raise concerns on policies that we believe will delay or retard the process of transformation, and to tilt the balance of power in the direction of the liberation movement. We reject with contempt any assertion to equate all forms of mass mobilisation and protest with those of counter revolutionary elements who want the failure of an ANC government.

The 52nd national conference has laid a firm foundation for smooth and mutually beneficial and comradely collaboration within the Alliance. This renewed commitment will ensure that there is no confusion about roles and programmes, as we are going to be in constant contact and discussions.

The conference also laid the foundation for joint action in support of the transformation agenda that the ANC government has to accelerate. As the President of the Republic delivers his address to the nation today, we reiterate that as the ruling party that we will do whatever it takes to ensure the success of the ANC government. We also know that we have the full support of our alliance partners in this regard. Through our existing structures we will work together to ensure that our masses are mobilized to participate and support the programme of action. The SoNA outlines the programme of action of a very important year, as it takes us to general elections in 2009. Our government is aware of the expectations of our people, and will deal with service delivery hindrances through the transformation of the state machinery to make it responsive to the needs of the people. In this way, the hard work and sacrifice of our valued stalwarts such as Cde Gomomo would not have been in vain.

Most importantly, in bidding farewell to Cde Gomomo, we must salute his commitment to unity. In 1987 he led the unity talks amongst metalworker unions which led to the establishment of the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa).

There are many other instances on the shop floor and also in national leadership, where Cde Gomomo displayed his uncompromising stance on unity and discipline.

We must emulate him, and show our appreciation by working for the unity of the ANC. We are encouraged by the positive mood we experienced when we crisscrossed the country over the last few weeks, as the leadership collective. The objective of the visits was to report back to structures on the Conference, and to promote the renewal of the values of the movement, as mandated by Conference. We found that the overwhelming majority of ANC members are united and are focused on building the movement and to work to achieve a caring society, and fundamental socio-economic transformation in our country.

As we dip our revolutionary banners and bid Cde Gomomo farewell tomorrow, we will find comfort in the knowledge that he has played his role to the fullest in fighting for the liberation of his people, especially the working class.

We thank his family for lending us this gallant fighter. We must carry on where he left off - to bridge inequalities and make the freedom he fought for truly meaningful to all our people, especially the poor and marginalised.

We extend our deepest condolences to the family, comrades and friends of Cde Gomomo, to COSATU and the entire worker's movement.

Ndlelanhle Nyelezi! Ulisebenzele lelizwe!