Former Afrika Mayibuye deputy president Robert Nwedo has announced that he is now dedicating his time and energy to the Maanda Ashu Workers Union of South Africa (MAWUSA), marking a significant shift in his public role. Nwedo, who recentlymayibuye-movement-shake-deputy-president-resigns/#:~:text=GAUTENG-%20Robert%20Nwedo%2C%20Deputy%20President%20of%20the%20Afrika,work%20with%20MAWUSA%2C%20where%20he%20serves%20as%20president."> left the political movement led by Floyd Shivambu, says his return to full-time labour activism comes after recognising a widening gap between himself and the workers he represented.
Nwedo’s departure, alongside several senior leaders, prompted a major reorganisation within the newly formed Mayibuye party. The shift follows afrika-mayibuye-leader/">months of internal restructuring and questions around the party’s direction. For Nwedo, however, the priority now lies with the union sector, particularly the vulnerable categories of workers represented by MAWUSA.
Speaking at a media briefing in Houghton on Monday, Nwedo said his primary commitment moving forward would be the thousands of temporary workers whose rights remain precarious. MAWUSA, which organises labourers in programmes such as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and the Community Work Programme (CWP), has long argued that temporary workers are among the most neglected in the country’s labour framework.
Nwedo explained that his political commitments had created a disconnect between himself and the union. He revealed that an important policy circular , Circular 14 of 2025/26, issued by the Department of Cooperative Governance (COGTA), had gone unnoticed by him for months due to his political workload. The circular, he said, contained provisions he believes strip workers of essential rights.
“There was a circular 14 2025/26 from COGTA which was very brutal and gives workers no single rights as if they are already in the cemetery,” Nwedo said. “Due to my commitment as deputy president of Mayibuye, that circular was issued in September, and I saw it in November. Clearly, there was a vacuum between the workers and me.”
Nwedo insisted that his renewed dedication to MAWUSA is aimed at closing that vacuum and strengthening advocacy for those in insecure employment. He highlighted that temporary workers often face unclear contracts, limited recourse for unfair treatment and inconsistent access to social protections. According to him, addressing these gaps will form the core of his work with the union.
The shift marks a return to Nwedo’s long-standing roots in labour activism, and he emphasised that workers’ issues must remain separate from political ambitions. With his focus now fully on MAWUSA, he says the union will intensify efforts to challenge policies and practices that undermine temporary workers’ rights.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, Nwedo’s move suggests a renewed push for labour-centred advocacy, with MAWUSA positioned at the forefront of that agenda.
