Cosatu leader Zwelinzima Vavi has vowed that campaigns like Wednesday’s nationwide protests against labour brokers and e-tolling will continue – while admitting to frustration that everything is seen as positioning ahead of the ANC’s elective national conference.
Speaking at the Numsa regional congress on the West Rand on Saturday, Vavi said there was no way the trade unions could simply close shop and stop pushing members’ interests, even if Cosatu was contested terrain as some elements, including in the ANC, sought to secure the influence of its two million members for their own agendas.
“The battle doesn’t end on Wednesday. It continues,” he said.
Neither would political overtures to the trade union movement – or slate politics, the practice of compiling lists of candidates – influence its hard stance on corruption. Referring to Limpopo premier Cassel Mathale reportedly billing the government for the use of his car, while two government cars remained idle, Vavi said: “We will expose these comrades.”
Meanwhile, Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said the union’s right to discuss a tripartite alliance member with the ANC and SACP, and the call to take out membership of the ANC was to ensure workers’ interests.