Johannesburg -
The Young Communist League (YCL) has launched a scathing attack on Zwelinzima Vavi and Irvin Jim, labelling them “opportunists parading as queens of justice” for their defence of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
The league accused the two unionists of orchestrating “a contradictory double agenda” against President Jacob Zuma by calling for full implementation of Madonsela’s recommendations on Nkandla while they were silent on those relating to EFF leader Julius Malema.
“The opportunists call for selective ‘full implementation of recommendations’… depending on their political acquaintances or enemies. You can’t go around parading as the queens of justice and sole protector of the public protector,” YCL national secretary Buti Manamela said on Sunday.
He was addressing journalists in Joburg following the league’s national committee meeting.
Asked to name the “opportunists” he was referring to, Manamela said the “general secretaries of Cosatu (Vavi) and Numsa (Jim)”.
Vavi, who was reinstated in April following his suspension on allegations of having sex with a junior staffer at Cosatu’s Joburg head offices, was recently quoted as saying some of the criticism against Madonsela was “absolutely disgusting, to say the least”.
He also said: “Everybody has had a field day. Some people even made comments about the shape of her nose.”
Vavi was referring to former ANC Youth League task team national convener Mzwandile Masina, who has since been appointed Trade and Industry deputy minister in Zuma’s cabinet.
Vavi and Jim hit back at the YCL. Vavi accused the young communists of “issuing labels, distortions and insults” and trying to ostracise him.
“Trying to personalise and isolate the Cosatu GS (general secretary) from the collective is not only an attempt to factionalise Cosatu, but is meant to defeat the unity and power of organised workers, if not the entire working class,” he said.
“The protection of the constitution and Chapter 9 institutions is not a personal campaign of ZV (Zwelinzima Vavi), but a fully mandated Cosatu position,” he added.
Manamela had accused Vavi and Jim of trying to protect their “friends in the EFF” by not asking Malema to account publicly on allegations that “he may be paying tax through illicit money from a cigarette cartel that destroys our jobs and our economy”.
Manamela said: “We think that is opportunistic and fuelled by their hatred of both the ANC and the president.”
Vavi and Jim denied practising double standards and being friends with Malema.
“We see ourselves as defenders of democracy and its institutions,” Vavi said.
He reminded the YCL that Madonsela’s report on Malema was largely based on documents supplied by Cosatu members in Limpopo and that he himself had co-ordinated that.
Vavi said Cosatu’s stance on “the speedy implementation” of the recommendations of Madonsela’s reports had not changed, “irrespective of the parties or persons fingered”.
“In this regard we’re happy to be labelled queens of justice. In fact, we are the queens of constitutional democracy based on a doctrine that all shall be equal before the law.”
The Star