The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) lowers its revolutionary banners to salute and honour one of the finest sons of the working class and liberation movement, Comrade Katishi Masemola.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Comrade Katishi’s family, friends, comrades, and all those whose lives he touched through his tireless commitment to the cause of workers and the oppressed.
Comrade Katishi Masemola cut his teeth in the militant traditions of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), an organisation whose unparalleled role in reviving the Congress movement after the 1976 student uprisings must never be underestimated. In a short time, COSAS became a powerful national force, inspiring the re-establishment of youth structures, civic associations, traditional leaders’ organisations, and many others across the country. Its famous slogan, “Build the organisation wherever you are,” captured the spirit of mass defiance and the practical realisation of former ANC President Oliver Tambo’s call to “make apartheid unworkable and South Africa ungovernable.”
Comrade Katishi emerged from these finest revolutionary traditions—traditions to which he remained loyal throughout his life, carrying them with him to his final days.
His thirst for education and knowledge was unquenchable. After completing his matric, he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Psychology at Wits University, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics, also at Wits, and later a Master’s degree in Economic Policy at Stellenbosch University in 2009. He had ambitions to enrol for a PhD in Economics, but the heavy responsibilities he bore as General Secretary of FAWU led him to defer and ultimately sacrifice that dream.
His commitment to the struggles of the working class found full expression through his many years of service in FAWU. He was first employed as a Field Organiser—what today would be called a Provincial Organiser. His sharp intellect and leadership potential were quickly recognised by the then General Secretary of FAWU, Comrade Mandla Gxanyana, who often brought him along to important engagements with employers and government.
Recognising his exceptional analytical skills and ability to pull together documents and information into coherent union positions, Comrade Katishi was soon appointed as a Researcher. In this role, he not only provided the union with critical policy documents but also shaped its strategic engagements.
He was later elevated to the position of Bargaining Secretary, and subsequently Education Secretary, excelling in every portfolio entrusted to him.
Given his proven leadership abilities and unwavering commitment to the cause of workers, it came as no surprise when he was elected Deputy General Secretary, and later, General Secretary—a position he held with distinction for a record fourteen years.
His outlook was internationalist. Comrade Katishi understood that the workers’ struggle knows no borders, and that unity with workers internationally was indispensable for mounting an effective challenge against globalised exploitation. Guided by this understanding, he affiliated FAWU to the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), where he was eventually elected President of its Africa Region—a recognition of his immense talents and internationalist perspective.
Comrade Katishi was an organic intellectual: capable of simplifying complex ideas, educating hundreds of worker leaders, and raising revolutionary consciousness to confront exploitation and oppression.
He was a Marxist-Leninist—but never merely a Marxist of organisations; he was a Marxist of Marxism itself. He raised his voice against distortions and revisions of revolutionary theory. Always learning, always ahead of his generation, he lived by the advice of one of Africa’s foremost intellectuals, Amílcar Cabral: “Learn from life, learn from our people, learn from books, learn from the experience of others. Never stop learning.” Katishi was widely read, deeply thoughtful, but never a slave to dogma. He understood that theory was a guide, not a religious scripture, and that revolutionary practice required creativity rooted in the concrete experiences of the working class.
It was from this intellectual and activist foundation that FAWU members elected him General Secretary. True to his character, he remained down to earth, choosing to lead by example rather than grand declarations. He proved effective, sparing no effort to unify workers in a union that had endured instability and factionalism.
Importantly, Comrade Katishi was a pragmatist who understood that advancing workers’ interests sometimes meant finding common ground—without ever compromising on principle. Under his leadership, FAWU built tactical alliances where needed. One notable example was FAWU’s campaign against the dumping of unhealthy chicken portions into South Africa—an act that threatened both jobs and public health. Comrade Katishi worked closely with the Department of Trade and Industry, and his arguments were so persuasive that even poultry industry employers joined FAWU-organised marches to save local jobs in companies like Rainbow Chicken.
Similarly, he led campaigns against the flooding of cheap food imports that threatened food-processing jobs, demonstrating once again his strategic flexibility and fierce loyalty to workers’ interests.
While always humble, Comrade Katishi never wavered when principles were at stake. When NUMSA was persecuted following its radical 2013 Special National Congress, Masemola stood firm. He became the de facto leader of the “Nine Plus” unions that sought to reclaim COSATU to its founding principles: worker control, internal democracy, tolerance of political differences, militancy, and the centrality of the industrial proletariat.
Masemola penned most of the public statements of the “Nine Plus” and became a clear, articulate voice for workers seeking a democratic renewal of the federation.
Masemola penned most of the public statements of the “Nine Plus” and became a clear, articulate voice for workers seeking a democratic renewal of the federation.
When the campaign to reclaim COSATU did not succeed, he did not hesitate to argue for an alternative. We honour Comrade Katishi as one of the midwives of SAFTU itself. The very name of our federation, its principles, and its traditions bear the imprint of his contribution.
Comrade Katishi’s passing robs the working class of a servant who never abandoned the cause, even during the most difficult and isolating times. His life must inspire us to deepen our resolve to fight for workers’ rights, for social and economic justice, and for a socialist future.
To his family: your loss is shared by thousands who drew strength from Comrade Katishi’s leadership. May you find comfort in knowing that his contribution will never be forgotten. His legacy lives on in every worker who refuses to bow to injustice, and in every act of solidarity that strengthens the power of the working class.
Hamba kahle, Comrade Katishi Masemola.
You ran your race with dignity, courage, and honour.
We will carry your fighting spirit into every picket line, every bargaining table, every protest, and every community struggle.
A Statement was issued on behalf of SAFTU by General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
For more details, contact the National Spokesperson at:
Newton Masuku
066 168 2157
Newtonm@saftu.org.za
