Anxious wait for union members
THOUSANDS of Numsa members in the Western Cape are anxiously following developments at Cosatu’s special national congress in Midrand, in the hope that their union and expelled Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi will be reinstated.
The expulsions of Vavi and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa’s (Numsa) have created tensions in the ranks of the trade union federation, with eight unions led by Food and Allied Workers and Communication Workers Union firmly supporting the return of Vavi and Numsa.
Disgruntled Cosatu affiliates are demanding a special congress to deal with the Numsa/Vavi matter but it remains to be seen if Vavi or Numsa will make it onto the agenda. ButNumsa’s Western Cape secretary, Vuyo Lufele, is optimistic, saying if the special congress makes a decision, Numsa members could still be part of Cosatu’s provincial elective congress this weekend.
“If that special congress decides that Numsa is reinstated we will have to move quickly to immediately ensure that we are part of Cosatu’s provincial congress. If anything is put to a vote there, we are going to be successful. The meeting at national will ultimately determine what will happen at provincial level,” Lufele added.
Cosatu in the Western Cape will head to a crucial provincial conference this weekend, which will ultimately reveal if the province is pro-Vavi/Numsa or against.
The elective congress will at the Old Mutual conference venue in Pinelands and will see 900 delegates attending the event.
Cosatu members in the Western Cape – speaking on condition of anonymity – said provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich’s head could be on the chopping block this weekend as several union leaders are seeing him as a threat and questioning his longstanding ties with Numsa.
Ehrenreich has been on record as saying it is important for Cosatu’s political weight to have a powerful manufacturing union in the federation, like Numsa who covers important sectors of the economy. He has also criticised the Nkandla decisions, advocating that people must be held accountable regarding the Nkandla saga. – Warda Meyer