Gauteng Cosatu slams handling of Zuma invite to rally

THE manner in which Cosatu handled a controversial decision allowing President Jacob Zuma to address May Day on Monday was “very clumsy”, the federation’s Gauteng structure said yesterday.

Provincial s ecretary Dumisani Dakile also called on the federation’s national office-bearers not to dismiss the affiliates that were opposed to Zuma addressing the main rally in Mangaung on Monday.

Most of Cosatu unions were critical of the central executive committee’s decision, adopted late last year, that Zuma, alongside the federation’s president S’dumo Dlamini, SACP leader Blade Nzimande and SA National Civic Organisation president Richard Mdakane, should address the rally.

The unions included the National Education and Health Workers Union, South African Municipal Workers Union, South African Democratic Teachers Union and the Communication Workers’ Union.

The ANC issued a statement yesterday, detailing where its national leaders would be deployed for the May Day rallies, and Zuma was expected to be at the Loch Logan Park in Mangaung in the Free State.

But Cosatu unions were divided over whether Zuma should address the rally, with some, including m e t a lwo rk - ers’ union Limusa, transport union Satawu and domestic workers’ union Sadsawu, saying they were in favour of the decision to have Zuma speak.

Those opposing the deci- sion argued that doing so would further weaken Cosatu as the federation had taken a decision late last year that Zuma should step down. They subsequently endorsed his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, to succeed Zuma when he steps down as ANC leader in December.

Dakile said it was unfortunate that the issue around Zuma’s deployment had been handled “very clumsily”.

“It’s most unfortunate that the matter was handled very clumsily and it should be a lesson taken by national leadership across the federation that, as main decisions are taken, there should also be clarity on the implications and consequences of decisions,” he said at Cosatu House in Braamfontein.

“I don’t think the federation has been able to think through what are the implications of that particular decision and what does it mean going forward.”

Cosatu will march to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton on Monday.