The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU) is the biggest union in the South African clothing, textile, footwear and leather industry, with more than 100 000 members. It negotiates wages for the vast majority of workers in these industries in South Africa, with the collective bargaining agreements covering over 150 000 workers. SACTWU is the sixth largest affiliate of the

Congress of South African Trade Unions The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is a trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions ...

(COSATU). The union was born through the merger of the

Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union of South Africa The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union of South Africa (ACTWUSA) was a trade union representing workers in the garment and fabric industries in South Africa. The union was founded in 1987, when the National Union of Textile Workers m ...

and the

Garment and Allied Workers' Union of South Africa The Garment and Allied Workers' Union of South Africa (GAWU) was a trade union representing clothing workers in South Africa. The union was established on 5 December 1987, when the Garment Workers' Industrial Union merged with the Garment Workers ...

, on 16 September 1989.

Leadership

General Secretaries

:Jabu Ngcobo :1999:

Ebrahim Patel Ebrahim Patel (born 1962 in District Six in Cape Town) is a South African cabinet minister, who holds the position of Minister of Trade and Industry (South Africa), Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. He previously served as Minister ...

:2009: Andre Kriel

Presidents

:1989: Amon Ntuli :2003: Themba Khumalo Trade unions in South Africa Congress of South African Trade Unions Textile and clothing trade unions Trade unions established in 1989 {{SouthAfrica-trade-union-stub