Those in positions of power caught with their hands “in the till” must voluntarily resign, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Thursday.
“ (They must be) shamed by the weight of public disapproval, rather than defiantly remaining in office while the evidence against them mounts,” he told media in Johannesburg.
Those who wanted to be “people representatives”, including unionists, had to chose between doing that, or being business people.
“They must not be allowed to choose both.”
On tender fraud, Vavi called on public officials not do business with family members or relatives, as this amounted to a conflict of interest.
Vavi said the central executive committee of the Congress of SA Trade Unions, which met from 27 to 29 February, discussed the country's political situation and the state of the tripartite alliance.
“There was full agreement that 2012 will be a historic year...the most important for Cosatu and its allies since 1994.”
He said all three alliance partners would be holding their national congresses and policy-making discussions this year.
“This gives us an unprecedented opportunity to reassess the progress we have made in advancing our national democratic revolution, look at the state of our organisations and plan new strategies for the coming years,” said Vavi.
The committee resolved to focus on the conditions of workers and not on “emerging signs of divisions inside the federation”.
“The central executive committee... vowed to continue to be vigilant in preventing and slipping back into an environment fraught by innuendoes, gossip, and back-stabbing,” he said.
All components of the alliance should step up the battle against factionalism, disunity and corruption. - Sapa