Johannesburg - The Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers Union (Ceppwawu) has alleged the minister of labour, Mildred Oliphant, is guilty of political interference in the fight for the union to be put under administration.
Last week Oliphant dismissed the department’s Registrar of Labour, Johan Crouse, who was in the process of a court bid for the union to be put under administration due to its failure to submit financial statements to the department for several years.
Dissident leaders of Ceppwawu had joined the department in this court bid, and are now demanding Crouse’s immediate reinstatement.
The matter is meant to be heard on August 6. but it is believed the minister’s dismissal of Crouse is part of a larger project that has also involved instructing state attorneys to stop pursuing the matter.
The leaders of four Ceppwawu-regions also alleged Cosatu’s top leadership, led by president Sdumo Dlamini, are acting in cahoots with the union’s controversial general secretary, Simon Mofokeng’s.
The leaders charge Mofokeng has failed to hold a national congress in four years, and recently prevented dissenting Ceppwawu-members from attending the Cosatu's special national congress earlier this month.
Ceppwawu is not the first union to be rent down the middle over poor accountability, including failure to share financial statements with dissenting leaders and members.
Labour Bureau