The federation was established in March 1955, after right wing unions dissolved the South African Trades and Labour Council in 1954 to form the exclusive white, coloured, and Indian workers' Trade Union Council of South Africa.
[2] The Industrial Conciliation Act, 1956 banned the registration of multi-racial trade unions.
This group later established the small Federation of Free African Trade Unions of South Africa.
But the Bantu Labour Relations Regulations Amendment Act in 1973 did permit some industrial activity within a restrictive framework of works committees.
In 1990, the ANC was unbanned, and some activists argued that the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) should merge into SACTU.
Instead, before the end of the year, the federation dissolved itself, with its remaining members transferring to COSATU.