Midrand - The Cosatu elective congress underway in Midrand got off to a chaotic start following an intense debate over the credentials of current national leaders.
The Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) challenged the presence of Cosatu 2nd deputy president Zingiswa Losi, who it claims should not even be in the Cosatu congress as she did not meet constitutional requirements.
Losi was expelled from the National Union of Metalworkers of SA and joined police union, Popcru, where she was elected a shop steward.
However, there are those within Cosatu who are unhappy with her move from the one union to the other, and are raising questions over her legitimacy to continue serving in her Cosatu leadership role.
Fawu’s motion was seconded by the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union which belongs to the same faction as Fawu.
Attempts by other unions, including the SA Democratic Teachers Union, to shut out arguments advanced by Fawu were unsuccessful.
Members instead erupted in song, while those in support of voting over the matter flashed their name tags in the air and the faction demanding a review of the credentials waved their constitutions in a similar manner.
The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union warned the objections raised by Fawu were meant to delay the progress.
Cosatu’s special national congress in July debated the same matter and took it to a vote by a show of hands. Fawu lost.
LABOUR BUREAU