Embattled former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said the main source of the current divisions in the labour federation was its alliance partner, the South African Communist Party (SACP).
Vavi was addressing workers from 12 labour unions at a provincial shop stewards’ council for all workers at a packed Mdantsane Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday.
The former Cosatu official launched a scathing attack on the SACP, led by Blade Nzimande.
“The source of the divisions in the federation is the SACP. They have rejected and abandoned the struggle.”
Vavi said the SACP had moved from being a vanguard of the working class to being the vanguard of government, in effect losing its core role of defending the working class in order to defend some people in government.
“It is one of the major reasons to have caused the divisions that we currently see in the federation,” said Vavi.
The shop stewards meeting was also attended by former South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) president, Thobile Ntola, and Nelson Mandela Metro Mayor Zanoxolo Wayile.
National Sadtu is seen as one of Vavi’s detractors. However, the disaffected Eastern Cape provincial Sadtu structure has broken ranks with its national body.
Sadtu representatives comprised the biggest grouping attending the weekend meeting of shop stewards, followed by the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa.
Some of the other unions that were present were the Communications Workers’ Union, and the Food and Allied Workers’ Union.
Ntola, who was booted out of Sadtu, echoed similar sentiments to Vavi’s, saying that workers currently did not have a vanguard.
He said South Africans should prepare themselves for hard times under the ANC rule. “This is the same as apartheid, you must be prepared to die because there is no complete freedom under the ANC,” he said. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
SACP caused split - Vavi
Vavi was addressing workers from 12 labour unions at a provincial shop stewards’ council for all workers at a packed Mdantsane Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday.
The former Cosatu official launched a scathing attack on the SACP, led by Blade Nzimande.
“The source of the divisions in the federation is the SACP. They have rejected and abandoned the struggle.”
Vavi said the SACP had moved from being a vanguard of the working class to being the vanguard of government, in effect losing its core role of defending the working class in order to defend some people in government.
“It is one of the major reasons to have caused the divisions that we currently see in the federation,” said Vavi.
The shop stewards meeting was also attended by former South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) president, Thobile Ntola, and Nelson Mandela Metro Mayor Zanoxolo Wayile.
National Sadtu is seen as one of Vavi’s detractors. However, the disaffected Eastern Cape provincial Sadtu structure has broken ranks with its national body.
Sadtu representatives comprised the biggest grouping attending the weekend meeting of shop stewards, followed by the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa.
Some of the other unions that were present were the Communications Workers’ Union, and the Food and Allied Workers’ Union.
Ntola, who was booted out of Sadtu, echoed similar sentiments to Vavi’s, saying that workers currently did not have a vanguard.
He said South Africans should prepare themselves for hard times under the ANC rule. “This is the same as apartheid, you must be prepared to die because there is no complete freedom under the ANC,” he said. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
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