‘WHY MUST I ANSWER YOUR WILD ALLEGATIONS?’ VAVI REJECTS SAFTU’S SUSPENSION

Vavi responded to a letter of notice to suspend him, in which he was given until close of business on Thursday to give reasons why she should not be suspended.

Masechaba Sefularo 

JOHANNESBURG – The South African Federation of Trade Union (Saftu)’s Zwelinzima Vavi has rejected a decision to place him on precautionary suspension, pending an investigation into allegations of serious misconduct, as ‘unlawful and incantational’.

Vavi responded to a letter of notice to suspend him, in which he was given until close of business on Thursday to give reasons why she should not be suspended.

Saftu president Mac Chavalala said these warranted an investigation and possible disciplinary action.

In his response, Vavi said the ‘so-called decision’ to suspend him with immediate effect had already been taken in his presence at the meeting.

He said the decision was moved by deputy president Thabo Matsose and backed by Chavalala and deputy general secretary Moleko Phakedi.

He rejected the move, accusing the them of usurping the powers of the national executive committee (NEC).

"Clause 3[5], section 3.3[5.3], sub-section 3.3.5, deals with the suspension of an office bearer and it states the following under the power and duties of the national executive committee that the NEC may: ‘suspend any office bearer or official of the federation for sufficient cause until the matter is decided at the next meeting of the central committee.'"

Chavalala said at a meeting with the union’s national office bearers (NoB) on Tuesday, they had noted with great concern a number of transgressions on the part of the secretary general, which were tantamount to acts of misconduct and misbehaviour.

However, Vavi said no allegations had been put to him in the meeting and questioned why he had not been given full details of the alleged transgression of the administration and finance policy.

“Why must I even answer your deliberately vague, spurious, wild, and unsubstantiated allegations. It seems evident that these wild allegations are designed to cast the net wide in order to justify a 'political decision' taken elsewhere, which has nothing to do with the allegations."

He did, however, indicate that Saftu national treasurer Motshwari Lecogo had presented credit card transactions, including R1,800 airtime, Gautrain and Bolt expenditures.

“There was not even the decency to ask me to explain the so-called suspicious transactions in the meeting. As soon as the national treasurer presented the report, which I was seeing for the first time, the second deputy president moved a motion that an investigation be launched and that I be placed on suspension, with the president hurrying to second,” Vavi said.

The secretary general said he would compile a detailed account of all the transactions and present them to the national finance committee.

Vavi said under the circumstances, he was entitled by law to continue to report for duty as per normal.

“Lastly, let me warn anyone and everyone that attempts to destroy this federation, that many of us have worked very hard to build, [they] shall not succeed.”