COSATU General Secretary Vavi has received support from the trade union federation amid reports that he is slated to be disciplined by the ANC for statements he has made in recent weeks.
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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Jun 02 2010 17:06
Courtesy of Mail & Guardian
Trade unions rallied behind Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) boss Zwelinzima Vavi on Wednesday following rumours that the ANC may bring disciplinary action against him for criticising corruption.
Even though the rumoured charges of ill-discipline had not been officially brought against Vavi, no fewer than six trade unions and Cosatu's alliance partner, the South African Communist Party (SACP), issued media statements condemning the action.
Their statements were loaded with words such as "reckless", "dismayed", "angered" and "outrage".
Confident
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said in a carefully worded warning: "As Numsa we are confident that the ANC NWC [national working committee] would not be co-opted or coerced into an agenda which seeks to destroy the alliance, and particularly the public standing of Comrade Vavi, who enjoys mass support amongst the rank and file membership of the ANC."
The South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) "expressed outrage at the alleged decision".
"The attack is not only about comrade Vavi and Cosatu; it is an attack on Cosatu affiliates and the working class, similar to the apartheid tactics used by the former regime," said Samwu deputy general secretary Walter Theledi.
"We are convinced that the vast majority of our people who live in poor and working class communities will wholeheartedly agree with the Cosatu position, and Comrade Vavi's articulation of it."
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said Vavi had not received any official communication from the African National Congress on the rumoured charges.
ANC cannot comment
The ANC neither confirmed nor denied the speculation.
"We are unable to comment on rumours or speculation because no decision has been made public on the matter," ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu told Sapa.
"Until such time that such a decision is made public, only then can we publicly make an announcement."
The ANC's national working committee (NWC), its top leadership structure, held a closed meeting on Monday, after which the Star newspaper said four sources had confirmed that charges against Vavi were discussed.
"The NWC did meet on Monday... if there are any decisions taken at NWC level that require being made public, then those decisions will be communicated to the media via statement or a media briefing," said Sokutu.
Cosatu said on Tuesday it had also heard from ANC sources that charges were pending.
Non-action from Zuma
Vavi last week accused President Jacob Zuma of not taking action against corrupt ministers, and singled out Co-operative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka and Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda -- who is a member of the ANC NWC.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe did not want to be drawn into commenting on Tuesday, saying only that Vavi should show proof of charges being brought against him.
The ANC's silence on the rumours seemed to fuel speculation, with several political parties and trade unions issuing statements to express "shock" at the reports.
The SACP blamed a "reckless" grouping within the ANC.
"We simply just cannot believe that the ANC can take such a reckless decision which runs counter to the ANC's own commitment to the alliance it leads," SACP spokesperson Malesela Maleka said in a statement.
"If true, this reckless decision would have been pushed through... in the absence of a significant number of NWC members."
A tripartite alliance meeting was set to take place next week, but it was already scheduled three months ago, said Maleka.
Angered
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) was "angered" by the reports.
"The union will vehemently oppose any attempt by some corrupt and fascist elements within the ANC to silence our federation by targeting its general secretary, who speaks not for himself but for the millions of workers who elected him."
Nehawu said workers would not "sit idle while their federation is being treated like a junior partner in the tripartite alliance".
Cosatu in the Free State expressed "shock and disbelief", the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA said the ANC was "degenerating" while the Food and Allied Workers' Union said it was "truly annoyed".
A Business Day report suggested on Wednesday that the ANC Youth League was pushing for charges to be brought against Vavi.
Their leader, Julius Malema, recently pleaded guilty at a disciplinary hearing.
Business Day speculated that the ANCYL wanted to put SACP chairperson and former trade unionist Gwede Mantashe in a "conflicted position" in attempts to eventually oust Mantashe.
Vavi, whose cellphone went to voicemail on Wednesday, told the SABC on Tuesday evening that a decision to charge him would split the tripartite alliance between the ANC, Cosatu and the SACP. --Sapa
Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-06-02-vavi-gets-trade-unions-support
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