JOHANNESBURG — The seven Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) affiliates who have suspended their participation within the labour federation will meet this weekend to decide a way forward, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said.
There was now a “small window of opportunity” for the trade union federation to find its way back to unity before possible violent contestation begins to spread to the labour federation’s structures, he told a Labour Bulletin debate to mark the 40th anniversary of the bi-monthly journal on Friday.
Fierce contestation within Cosatu’s 230 national shop-stewards councils and within affiliates was likely to result in a “purging phenomenon” seen in some affiliates and make rational debate on the underlying divisive issues unlikely, he said.
Vavi said saving Cosatu as a unified federation would require the immediate reinstatement of Numsa, holding the special national congress as soon as possible and paying immediate attention to the divides between union leaders and general membership.
He said, however, proceeding with the congress without Numsa would be a “farce”.
“I will not attend a (special national congress) without Numsa. I will be butchered,” he said.
Numerous question marks continue to surround Numsa’s expulsion from Cosatu, and whether a split within the federation will be permanent.
The seven unions supporting the expelled National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) declined to attend a Cosatu central executive committee meeting on Wednesday, where a decision was taken to hold a special national congress and fresh elections.
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ANC leaders are expected to meet with former Cosatu leaders at the weekend.
The party will then meet with the current leadership today or tomorrow to “chart a way forward” and discuss the status of Numsa.
A number of disciplinary charges against Vavi and potential consequences for an affair with a subordinate will also be under discussion at the meeting.
— BDlive
