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 on Sunday, potentially setting the tone for other unions.
The union, which seldom speaks publicly about the goings-on in Cosatu, said it was disappointed in Vavi’s latest move.
“Sactwu is deeply disappointed in Vavi’s actions on Monday. We have always been sympathetic towards him, however, we cannot tolerate organisational ill-discipline,” Sactwu general secretary André Kriel said.
On Monday, Cosatu’s special central executive committee (CEC) was to gather to decide Vavi’s future in the federation. Sactwu’s stance could signal that affiliates are losing patience with Vavi’s indecisiveness.
He was widely expected to resign on Sunday, 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,” Vavi told 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 Numsa (National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa) from whom he has enjoyed great support since the start of his troubles several years ago. The union, boasting a membership of more than 350 000, has also pressured Vavi into making a decision.
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim is reported to have told a shop stewards’ meeting in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, that Vavi needed to decide soon whether he was staying or going.
Vavi’s exit from the federation, whether voluntary or not, 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 if Vavi were left without his position at Cosatu, that would be his obvious home.
Vavi said on Sunday it was time for a new alternative. He invited workers to join him on this new journey.
“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, poor service delivery, poor delivery of education and healthcare, etc,” he said.
“I call on all workers who agree to this programme to close the door on divisions that have sapped our energy, to join the mobilisation of the working class for our total emancipation.”
Vavi has also vowed he would not attend Cosatu meetings as he thought they were divisive. Nor would 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 held earlier this month also resolved to take its fight for the unity of the federation to the streets.
Cosatu deputy general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said: “The CEC agreed that while it is important to continue engaging in a political process aimed at achieving unity and cohesion, it is clear that such unity will not be achieved through boardroom meetings alone. The unity of Cosatu will always be forged in the streets through campaigns focusing on issues which are affecting workers and the working class in general.”
Monday’s CEC meeting was scheduled to discuss the outcomes of a forensic report by SizweNtsalubaGobodo which is said to implicate the general secretary in wrongdoing, to which he has declared his hands were clean.
The Star