GEORGE MATLALA
The succession battle around SA Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Blade Nzimande has caused serious divisions in trade union federation Cosatu.
Deep cracks over the Nzimande issue have developed in the relationships among the federation’s biggest affiliates, National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), teacher union Sadtu and the National Education and Health Allied Workers Union (Nehawu).
The Sunday Independent understands that although there was consensus in Cosatu that Nzimande should relinquish his ministerial post and remain a full-time SACP leader, the leadership of its big affiliates disagreed on how the matter was being handled.
Sources in Cosatu say Num and Nehawu secretaries Frans Baleni and Fikile Majola were at odds with Numsa secretary Irvin Jim and Sadtu president Thobile Ntola over Nzimande’s leadership of the SACP.
Both Ntola and Irvin are said to be supporting Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi’s public announcement that Nzimande should return to Cosatu House to lead the SACP on a full-time basis as it was weakened by his move to cabinet.
Vavi has also lashed out at Nzimande’s purported lack of criticism of President Jacob Zuma’s administration ever since becoming Higher Education Minister.
Baleni and Majola, on the other hand, are said to be unhappy with how Jim and Vavi have made Nzimande’s issue a public show and also openly attacked him, charging that the communist party was dying in his hands since he joined the cabinet.
Baleni and Majola serve in the SACP’s Central Committee (CC) headed by Nzimande.
A source close to Baleni said: “There is consensus that Blade should return to the party… The culture is that we must engage within structures rather than shout in public.”
But sources also indicated that the disagreements over Nzimande’s leadership of the SACP were a manifestation of a raging succession battle in Cosatu for Vavi’s post.
Vavi announced at Cosatu’s congress in September 2009 that he would not stand for another term, a move that triggered a leadership race in the federation.
Since then, a succession battle has ensued, pitting Irvin and Baleni for the top post, while Majola is another name which has been bandied about.
Num campaigners argued that Jim was still young and serving his first term at Numsa.
Baleni, on the other hand, is said to lack the radical posture that a trade union federation leader needs and was seen as a lackey of ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe.
Jim is said to be supported by Vavi to take over Cosatu.
The three – Vavi, Jim and Ntola – were known as the “Ebhayi Connection” (because they are from the Eastern Cape).
“We call them the three musketeers,” a Cosatu source said.
But there were strong signs that Vavi could remain in his post.
Cosatu is probably going to hold its elective congress in September next year while the SACP will have its meeting in July – just couple of months before the ANC’s all-important elective conference in December. The succession debate in Cosatu and the handling of Nzimande’s issue have deteriorated the relations between the two Left allies to what appears to be an all-time low. Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said the federation never mentioned Nzimande in its statements.
“The original statement did not mention names; it just said that the party needed a full-time secretary. There are no disputes about the issue,” he said.
Asked about the succession debate in Cosatu, Craven said: “That has absolutely no truth.”
Meanwhile, Nzimande is said to have rallied his forces behind him throughout the country after reports the plot to oust him was thickening. Unhappiness about Nzimande saw the formation of Lebaleng Communist Party (LCP) in Maquassi Hills in the North West, where the party wants to contest the ANC for power.
A source close to Nzimande said the minister was unfazed by the latest challenge to remove him as unhappiness about him had been there since his re-election. “A media campaign will do nothing but strengthen Blade,” the source said.
The source said Nzimande commanded a lot of a support in most provinces and was working hard on Gauteng and Limpopo, which were usually problematic for him.
SACP spokesperson Malesela Maleka said the party could not comment on Cosatu’s internal debates.
However, Maleka noted debates in the working class organisations should not be seen as divisions.
“It will be sad though that frank and robust debate could be interpreted to mean division among the working class and its organisations,” he added.