Theto Mahlakoana and Amy Musgrave
JOHANNESBURG: Textile workers union Sactwu broke its long silence and denounced embattled Cosatu boss Zwelinzima Vavi over his direct challenge to the federation’s leadership yesterday, potentially setting the tone for other unions.
The union, which is normally reticent to speak publicly on the goings-on in Cosatu, said it was disappointed at Vavi’s latest move.
General secretary André Kriel said: “Sactwu is deeply disappointed in Vavi’s actions today. We have always been sympathetic towards him. However, we cannot tolerate organisational ill-discipline.”
Today Cosatu’s special central executive committee (CEC) gathers to decide Vavi’s future in the federation. Sactwu’s stance could signal that affiliates are losing patience with his indecisiveness.
He was widely expected to resign yesterday, but instead threw down the gauntlet, saying he would go to ground to rally support.
“We are now trying one last-ditch attempt to reclaim the organisation from below, by mobilising the members to assert their rights to control their movement. If this fails, history will record that we tried everything in our power,” he said.
Vavi addressed journalists and some union members who had filled the room where the briefing was being held and cheered him on as he explained why he was not resigning from Cosatu.
The general secretary was flanked by leaders of expelled Cosatu union the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), who have given him great support since his troubles began a few years ago.
The union, which boasts more than 350 000 members, has also pressured Vavi into making a decision.
Numsa general secretary, Irvin Jim is reported to have told a shop stewards meeting in Katlehong that Vavi needed to decide soon whether he was staying or going.
Vavi’s exit from the federation might boost the legitimacy of Numsa’s efforts to build what would be an alternative home for workers in the form of the United Front. It is widely believed that should Vavi be left without his position at Cosatu, that would be his obvious home.
Vavi said yesterday that it was time for a new alternative. He invited workers to join him.
“I will be found everywhere marching with workers, mobilising them, reinforcing the recruitment of workers to reach out to the 71 percent who are not organised into any union, negotiating, leading campaigns against labour brokers, e-tolls, exploitation, job losses, service delivery, poor delivery of education and health care, etc.”
Vavi has also vowed he would not be attending organisational meetings as he thought of them to be divisive in nature. Nor will he be taking part in any process which seeks to attain unity from within boardrooms.
“You won’t win what you haven’t won in the streets in the boardroom,” he said.
Coincidentally, the Cosatu CEC this month also resolved to take its fight for the unity of the federation to the streets.
“The CEC agreed that while it is important to continue engaging in a political process aimed at achieving unity, it is clear that such unity will not be achieved through boardroom meetings alone,” said Cosatu deputy general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali.
Vavi also appeared undeterred by the dire consequences of his decision not to attend, among other meetings, the special CEC taking place from tomorrow.
The CEC is due to discuss the outcomes of a forensic report by Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo, which is said to implicate the general secretary in wrongdoing, to which he has declared his hands were clean.