Johannesburg - An internal audit will be conducted into alleged financial mismanagement at the country’s largest union in the transport sector, Satawu.
This follows a number of meetings with Cosatu, which the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union is affiliated to.
The union is facing a financial and organisational crisis, with hundreds of its members accusing the leadership of irregular purchases amounting to millions of rand. A number of provinces are also revolting against Satawu general secretary Zenzo Mahlangu because of the alleged financial mismanagement.
Earlier this year, the union lost its recognition agreement at SAA, and it has also been losing members in droves to the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa.
Mahlangu said on Thursday that Cosatu’s national office bearers (NOBs) had met the union’s leaders three times in a bid to bring about stability to the organisation.
“In dealing with the challenges facing Satawu presently, Cosatu has offered to step in and assist Satawu NOBs to navigate a revolutionary path that will promote progress and tranquillity in the organisation,” he said.
In order to speedily sort out the various issues plaguing the union, it had been agreed that an internal audit would be conducted at national and provincial levels.
“(The) report must be tabled so that misconceptions are sorted out, the true state of affairs are revealed, and all financial allegations may be put to rest. This is not to be an individual investigation, but an audit that seeks to put all Satawu finance matters into perspective,” Mahlangu said in a statement.
He said all those who were “perpetuating hate and creating factions”, needed to stop and allow Cosatu’s intervention to assist in finding solutions to the challenges.
Instead, upcoming provincial congresses should be used for workers to be “serviced by leaders of their choice”, he said.
This is not the first time there has been an internal audit into alleged financial irregularities at a Cosatu affiliate. The South African Municipal Workers Union conducted one last year, however, everything came up squeaky clean. But since then a consultant has been arrested by the Hawks for his alleged role in the financial mismanagement and another arrest is expected soon.