Johannesburg - Expelled Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi was labelled a “betrayer” and a “corrupt” individual at the federation’s Limpopo congress on Tuesday.
Provincial Cosatu leaders vowed to make Limpopo a no-go area for Vavi, who said he would not “hand over Cosatu on a silver platter” but would mobilise workers to reclaim the federation.
Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association provincial chairman Lulamile Jack said Vavi should be attacked if he came to Limpopo to drum up support.
He lauded Cosatu’s executive committee for expelling Vavi, accusing him of wanting to destroy the federation.
“You must tell Vavi that Lulamile Jack, the former bodyguard of Chris Hani, (says) Chris would kill you for betraying Cosatu,” said Jack.
He labelled Vavi a womaniser, chanting “Away with sex in offices”, referring to Vavi’s sexual encounter with a subordinate in Cosatu’s offices.
“You complain about the president (Jacob Zuma), you say he has many wives, yet you do not mention your concu- bines,” said Jack.
Yesterday’s shop steward council in Seshego, outside Polokwane, was also attended by Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini.
He told those gathered that Vavi had been given the chance to appeal against his expulsion.
Provincial chairman Essop Mokgonyana said they would not be “fooled by Vavi and his cronies”.
“We know Zwelinzima Vavi is corrupt. We gave him the opportunity to clarify allegations made by SizweNtsaluba- Gobodo (a reference to a forensic report). He refused. Instead he went to the media.”
Cosatu provincial secretary Gerald Twala said: “We received (news of) his expulsion with ululations.”
Vavi could not be reached for comment.
The Star