Johannesburg - Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini has questioned why a faction of affiliates should continue to be regarded as part of the federation when they “blatantly act to openly undermine the federation and its collective leadership”.
The barbed comments come amid the refusal of eight Cosatu unions to participate in the federation’s highest decision-making bodies after the expulsion last month of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).
The eight unions have demanded Numsa be reinstated, and if this does not happen, they will boycott a special national congress which they have compelled Cosatu to hold by taking it to court.
But there is the potential of a special congress widening rifts in the federation. This would add to the dismal outcomes of the ANC’s failed task team intervention, which union leaders say has left Cosatu even more divided than it was in April.
In a report tabled at the organisation’s central executive committee, Dlamini said the tentative date for the special congress was July 13-16 subject to the ANC-led political process to solve the impasse in the federation.
A Cosatu national official told The Sunday Independent that a meeting with the ruling party had been held last Sunday, but that the ANC had since not made any contact with it about the next course of action.
But Dlamini warned the actions of a faction in Cosatu, presumably the eight unions who support Numsa, would defeat the objectives of holding the special congress, namely resolving the divisions in the federation.
He claims the Eastern Cape, in particular, has become a no-go zone for some leaders, saying national officials cannot address structures in the province without disruptions by insults, singing and demands for the special congress.
“For the first time in history, there are no-go areas for Cosatu leaders deliberately created by our own unions.”
This is not the first time that the federation’s leaders have complained about the Eastern Cape.
Both Numsa general secretary, Irvin Jim and Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi hail from the province where there appears to be a groundswell of support for this faction, leading the SACP on several occasions to warn against ‘tribalism’ rearing its head in the organisation.
Dlamini adds this level of division will rob the special congress of the opportunity to address organisational challenges and solve shop-floor problems.
Independent Media