Vavi warns of storm on the horizon

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi photographed in a lighter moment at the trade union federation's KwaZulu-Natal elective conference. In his speech to delegates he was deadly earnest, warning that if the poverty gap was left to widen, the country would face rebellion. Picture: Shan Pillay

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi photographed in a lighter moment at the trade union federation's KwaZulu-Natal elective conference. In his speech to delegates he was deadly earnest, warning that if the poverty gap was left to widen, the country would face rebellion. Picture: Shan Pillay

Published Jul 3, 2012

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Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has warned the ANC about the poor becoming restless, saying if nothing was done to transform the economy radically and speedily to benefit them, the country would face a rebellion.

Addressing Cosatu’s provincial elective conference in Pietermaritzburg yesterday, Vavi warned that while the ANC and its alliance partners were occupied with internal wrangling, the poor were becoming more and more impatient as they had made few gains since 1994.

“We are in a crisis. Comrades want to call it a challenge – I don’t care. We call it a crisis,” he said, referring to the widening gap between the poor and the rich.

He said the economy remained largely in white hands.

He cited a number of studies that suggested poverty had deepened, especially among black communities, since the advent of democracy.

For example, he said, unemployment among Africans had risen from 38 percent in 1995 to 45 percent in 2005.

Vavi said the time for talking was over. The ANC needed to speed up the implementation of its pro-poor policies.

“The problem is the lack of our own political will to implement our own decisions.

“Over the years we have taken bold decisions on what needs to be done, but we have shown a lack of political will in implementing those decisions.”

If this was not done, the masses would revolt.

“One day when we are busy at our conferences singing factional songs, the poor will march through the door with their broken shoes.”

SA should learn from mistakes in countries like Malaysia, which experienced race riots in the 1960s because it had ignored the disparities between race groups, Vavi said.

He warned that the ANC was “eating itself” up by being preoccupied with leadership positions and internal divisions instead of tackling the problems facing the country.

“While we are fighting factional battles we cease to be leaders of society, we become a destructive faction and society (will) be left without a leader… I wish that I was not speaking in a province where comrades are now assassinating each other.”

Vavi was speaking just two days after prominent Hibiscus Coast ANC councillor Wandile Mkhize was shot dead outside his house, soon after returning from the ANC policy conference in Midrand.

“We are no longer blaming IFP warlords (for the assassination of ANC members) because the problem is from within.”

Corruption was also destroying the ANC. Cosatu would continue to push for leaders implicated in corruption to step down voluntarlly.

“We cannot afford more promises of tough action… or a promise that comes a period after Mangaung… We want a demonstration now.”

The Cosatu boss also called for the investigation’s findings on allegations against Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe’s partner, Gugu Mtshali, to be made public.

Mtshali was accused of suggesting she be given money in return for facilitating government support for an SA company bidding for a contract to sell helicopters to Iran.

Vavi said Cosatu welcomed Motlanthe’s call for an investigation into the matter. The country could not afford to have its “number two” in any way associated with such serious allegations.

“I do not care which faction he comes from,” Vavi said, referring to Motlanthe, who is expected to challenge Jacob Zuma for the ANC presidency at the party’s national conference in December.

He also called for answers to allegations that police funds were used to improve security at Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s home in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Vavi said he would continue to speak out against corruption in the tripartite alliance, irrespective of who was involved, as Cosatu should remain the moral compass of the alliance.

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