Vavi may dodge sanctions

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi File photo: Dumisani Sibeko

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi File photo: Dumisani Sibeko

Published Nov 21, 2014

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Cape Town - While nine charges against Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi remain, he may dodge any serious sanction due to a political process that has been agreed to by the federation and the ANC.

Cosatu told reporters in Johannesburg on Thursday it hoped that at the end of this process, which would encompass a number of issues, the federation would be united.

“We are pulling out all of the stops to make sure that unity is realised. We are not treating him (Vavi) with soft gloves. We are simply focusing on the unity of the federation,” said Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini.

Cosatu is rent down the middle over the future of Vavi and the expulsion of its largest affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa). The union is supported by seven of Cosatu’s 18 affiliates, which are temporarily boycotting top-level meetings of the federation. Their numerous requests for a special national congress were granted by Dlamini in a special central executive committee (CEC) meeting on Tuesday.

They believe the special congress is the only way to unite Cosatu as not only would it allow for leadership elections, but it can also shape the political direction of Cosatu.

The ANC, which has been attempting to mediate a peace deal, will continue doing so despite some unionists believing that it is part of the problem in the federation.

Vavi said on Thursday the party would meet former Cosatu leaders on Saturday and the federation’s national office-bearers next week to map out the political process.

It was hoped that informal talks would start with affiliates as soon as Wednesday, as shop floor issues had taken a back seat to the infighting plaguing the federation.

“We should be doing much more than we are doing now. That is why we think this is urgent… so we can return to the agenda of the working class. We want to start as early as next week,” Vavi said.

Once the political process is completed, a package of proposals would be presented to the CEC for endorsement.

Discussions will centre around the future of Vavi and Numsa, the logistics of a special congress and tightening up Cosatu’s constitution on when a national office-bearer must vacate their position.

While Vavi is facing nine charges, some more serious than others, he has not been found guilty of any of them. Cosatu’s affiliates will have to decide if it is worth pursuing his punishment at all costs. The federation is already under strain following Numsa’s expulsion and some believe it would not survive Vavi’s dismissal due to his popularity.

Numsa remains expelled. However, talks will be held with the union as part of the political process.

“There will have to be a separate engagement with Numsa with a view to discussing the meaning of the expulsion and meaning of finding unity in the federation,” Vavi said.

Only time will tell if all these discussions will be fruitful.

On Thursday, some union leaders were already labelling the process as an attempt to put a plaster on a gaping wound. This was because the real reasons for the crises in Cosatu - that it has aligned itself with the capitalist agenda - would not be addressed.

Group Labour Editor

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