Johannesburg - Cosatu says it is not “violently” opposed to calls by some quarters for an early ANC elective congress.
“The sad reality is that the current ANC is highly factionalised and cannot claim to be still functioning as a coherent and unitary organisation,” Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said on Thursday.
Following the ANC’s poor performance in the local government elections, calls for an early party election are gaining the ground. The party’s other alliance partners, the SACP, will decide on the matter during a meeting this weekend.
Cosatu, whose central executive committee met this week, has also agreed that it is time that the federation enters into the ANC succession debate.
“The workers are not neutral on this matter,” he said.
Cosatu also said that a decision by Fawu, one of its founding unions, to leave the federation was expected.
“The CEC (central executive committee) noted that Fawu leadership has succeeded to push for the union’s disaffiliation from Cosatu and join a non-existent federation,” Nthsalintshali said.
“We are not surprised by the decision, but we are currently planning to meet with many Fawu members… that have made it clear to the federation that they aree not leaving the federation.”
Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini agreed with his general secretary, saying that resources would be found to find establish a “warm home” for disenchanted Fawu members.
Fawu decided to leave the federation at its elective congress on Wednesday. It has been unhappy with Cosatu giving Zwelinzima Vavi and metalworkers union, Numsa, the boot.
Ntshalintshali said that Fawu owed Cosatu R5-million alone in affiliation fees.
If the federation decided to recoup that money, it could do so according to the Cosatu constitution, he said.
Labour Bureau