Johannesburg - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) would not comment on rape allegations against Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi until it heard from the trade union federation, it said on Monday.
“It will be irresponsible to make statements at this stage,” NUM general secretary Frans Baleni told reporters in Johannesburg after the union's national executive committee meeting.
“We do not want to engage on details about this matter until it is formally brought to us,” he said.
Vavi has admitted to having an extramarital affair with a married woman who was employed by the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) and claimed she later tried to extort R2 million from him.
He denied raping her, and said the sex was consensual.
However, she brought a complaint of sexual harassment against him. An internal grievance proceeding was being held on Monday morning
Baleni said the union would wait for internal processes regarding the matter to take place. - Sapa