Johannesburg - Cosatu has accused its general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi of thinking himself of being “above” the federation.
It said it found it strange that Vavi, who called a central executive committee meeting this week, had decided to boycott it.
Cosatu deputy general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said that Vavi had not attended three meetings, including the CEC, where he was expected to play a leadership role.
“It is the general secretary who had written a notice convening the CEC… It is therefore difficult for the CEC to understand why this same person would announce in social media that he would not attend the CEC…,” he said.
Vavi and five of Cosatu’s 17 affiliates boycotted the three-day meeting. The affiliates wants the expulsion of metalworkers union, Numsa, lifted, while Vavi said he did not believe the CEC could take place under the current circumstances because it was “not business as usual”.
The CEC had decided to hold a special CEC later this month to allow Vavi to explain his decision.
Cosatu has called on its boycotting affiliates to return back to the fold, arguing that the only way they can raise their issues is within the federation.
The boycott was condemned by the federation’s CEC.
“We call on these affiliates to return to future meetings to engage in a democratic process where all unions are treated as equals and where all views are given equal weight and get subjected to the same democratic scrutiny before any decision is taken,” he said.
“The views of these unions can only be respected when they are raised inside the federation rather than in the media and outside the structures of the federation. We are calling on members of these unions to call on their leaders to come back to their real home Cosatu.”
Group Labour Editor