Johannesburg - The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has threatened court action against Cosatu if any action is taken against it at a three-day extraordinary meeting which starts on Tuesday.
Cosatu is holding a special central executive committee (CEC) meeting which will get a report- back from the ANC, which has been trying to broker a peace deal in the federation since about a month before the May elections.
Three senior leaders in Cosatu’s affiliates confirmed the existence of the letter to Independent Media on Tuesday night.
Numsa argues that the CEC may only discuss what is on its agenda – the ANC report-back, as well as Cosatu’s secretariat report for its central committee which will be held next month. Numsa, which is facing suspension or expulsion, believes it will be unprocedural for action to be meted out against it as it is not on the agenda.
However, it is not going to be an easy fight for Numsa. Its opponents will argue that all issues that were deferred as a result of the ANC mediation should be back on the agenda. These include action against Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, who is facing a range of charges related to the sale of Cosatu’s buildings and having sex in the office with a colleague.
It is believed that Vavi will try to convince the CEC that no action should be taken until a special national congress – which more than a third of the federation’s affiliates have called for – is held.
No date has been set for the congress yet.
Cosatu’s 19 affiliates are at odds on the future direction of the federation, with some believing it should leave its alliance with the ANC and the SA Communist Party, while some do not want any action against Vavi.
The ANC was asked to make proposals on what Cosatu should do regarding Vavi, the special congress, and on the future of Numsa, which is facing sanction for not supporting the ANC during the elections and for “poaching” members from sister affiliates.
A halt in any action against Vavi and Numsa until a special national congress will allow them to convince Cosatu’s members at that meeting to elect new leaders and alter the direction of Cosatu.
Numsa believes the ANC no longer has the interests of workers at heart. However, it is cognisant of how difficult it will be to convince Cosatu to end the tripartite alliance, and has started with preparations to eventually form a workers’ party.
According to ANC insiders, the committee set up to help unify Cosatu, met Numsa twice and both times it stood its ground.
While it is understood that the ANC has not proposed outright that Numsa be suspended or expelled, it will say it has not managed to broker a deal, but it does believe a metalworkers union is paramount in Cosatu.
The Star