Enemies of the workers' movement are within the ranks of the tripartite alliance, Cosatu delegates were told at its 10th national congress in Midrand on Monday.

"These enemies of our movement are not just on the outside, but we have built and constructed them for years," said Congress of South African Trade Unions president Sidumo Dlamini.

"They are within our own ranks, inside the ANC, in the midst of SACP cadres, and they are here amongst us at Cosatu," he said.

Dlamini said the "1996 class project" ? a name for supporters of former president Thabo Mbeki ? had been defeated, but cautioned that it continued to struggle against the working class.

He warned that remnants of the project "inside state apparatus" were "encouraging capitalists not to be cowards".

The Mail & Guardian on Friday quoted Dlamini as saying Manuel was the last "hope" for the revival of the project.

He told the newspaper Manuel was using the planning commission to position himself as "second-in-charge".

"He wants to be seen again as this super-minister and every minister should go to him, bow his head and say, 'Please, Mr Manuel, can we have this?' " Dlamini was quoted as saying.

The ANC backed Manuel after Cosatu's criticism, saying "principles rather than individual personalities" should be debated.

On Monday, Dlamini maintained that the alliance was, nonetheless, here to stay and stronger than ever.

"There are no hostile differences within our ranks as we speak to you at this time.

"The doomsday prophets... are now painfully swallowing their words," he said.

Dlamini said the African National Congress was now back "to its right owners", and the South African Communist Party was stronger.

While there were differences, which would always be there, there were now overlaps in policy.

He said rural and skills development, as well as national health insurance, were now part of the government's programme.

Speaking out against those who used their positions for personal gain, Dlamini said officials received positions and "within four to five months a person is filthy rich and they cannot explain where it comes from".

"This has got to stop," he said.

He also spoke about the situation in Zimbabwe and that in Swaziland, criticising its chairing of the Southern African Development Community's security troika.

It was a shame that Swaziland's monarchy was allowed to occupy the position and criticise Zimbabwe when the situation was worse in Swaziland. "We want freedom in Swaziland," he said.