Johannesburg - “It’s a serious own goal,” Cosatu’s general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, acknowledges about the fallout after he admitted having sex in the office with a Cosatu employee.
The woman, who earlier this week abruptly withdrew her rape complaint against him two hours into a grievance hearing, but not before the tawdry saga had made national headlines.
In an exclusive interview with Vavi and his wife, Noluthando, Vavi told Weekend Argus that he was on his knees before his family whose trust he needed to win back, but emphasised that while he realised the scandal had left many people disappointed in him and afforded his political enemies a golden opportunity, he had no intention of stepping down from the helm of Cosatu.
Vavi last weekend admitted and apologised for his sexual liaison with the married Cosatu employee, but denied her claim that the sex was not consensual. He revealed that he had laid extortion charges with the police relating to the woman’s demand that he pay her R2 million compensation.
Meanwhile, a series of SMSes made public last weekend suggested the woman had been put under pressure from unidentified people amid the severe tensions existing within Cosatu.
Days after the abandoned grievance hearing, Vavi and his wife spoke to Weekend Argus about the pain and public embarrassment their family had experienced and how they were trying to pick up the pieces.
“I have to build the pieces at the home front more than anywhere else. The home front is what my priority is right now,” Vavi said.
“And I have been devoting every hour since the matter came to the public to rebuild the relationship, to rebuild the trust… I have been on my knees every day apologising, not only to my wife, but also my children.
“It has been the same difficult process with the rest of the family – brothers and sisters.”
A sister, Vavi said, made her feelings clear in an SMS, which bluntly asked: “How do you move from hero to zero like that, bastard?
Vavi says that, despite the pain felt by his relatives, there has been a willingness to forgive and give him a second chance.
But the question remains: why did he do it?
“Madness. It’s madness. I’ve been trying to explain what went wrong with me.”
His betrayed wife Noluthando is backing him, despite having been hurt by his conduct, and she’s not urging him to step down either.
As painful as the situation was, she explained that she had enjoyed support from God, family, friends and ordinary South Africans who have reached out to her over social media.
Two prayer meetings took place at their home during the week as the couple attempted to sort things out.
“I said to him (Vavi), go and sin no more. If this means turning his life around, then that will be an outcome. If this is going to make him a complete man, that will make South Africa forgive him. We are working with him to be a better leader,” Noluthando said
“The word of God is supporting me. God is close to the those with a broken heart...” she said. “People are so amazing. South Africans are amazing. They are supportive.”
Vavi acknowledged he’d been found wanting and had disappointed people.
“South Africa is desperately in search of moral leadership that will stand up, not only against corruption and mediocrity, but leadership that can build on the foundation of what society regards as important, such as the institutions of marriage, trust, integrity and family – (leadership) that will not be found wanting. And this is where I’ve disappointed people,” Vavi admitted.
“I want to take full responsibility. It is my error. I deserve all that I am being subjected to. “I can only plead for understanding. Never did I present myself as faultless. I am fallible… I’m not going to claim this is the last time I will make mistakes,” he said.
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The woman repeatedly declined to speak about the matter, as did her husband, and efforts to find her at home were unsuccessful.
Weekend Argus