This year’s lecture features Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe as the guest speaker. The event seeks to reflect on Barayi’s legacy and its relevance to today’s labour struggles, particularly in the pursuit of fair wages, decent work, and economic justice.

Barayi, a former President of the Congress of SA Trade Unions, was a leading figure in mobilising workers during the height of apartheid, advocating fiercely for workers’ rights and dignity.

The inaugural lecture, held in May 2024, was headlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who described Barayi as a “pillar of the labour movement” and praised his lifelong commitment to justice. That event was widely commended for drawing parallels between Barayi’s activism and contemporary challenges facing workers in SA and beyond.

The annual lecture series not only honours Barayi’s contributions but also fosters dialogue around pressing labour issues, aiming to shape progressive policy and strengthen the labour movement across the continent.

--ChannelAfrica--