ANC again acts on Cosatu fights

Vote deals blow to rebel unions

ANC heavyweights yesterday tried to broker a peace deal between warring factions in Cosatu as its special congress threatened to collapse.

Sowetan understands that the governing party’s representatives to the all-important gathering met during lunch with Cosatu leaders to work out a compromise that helped the meeting to continue.

This was after the meeting was delayed for hours due to fights over who should participate.

At the centre of the dispute was the eligibility of Cosatu second deputy president Zingiswa Losi and the new Liberated Metalworkers Union of SA (Limusa) to form part of proceedings.

The impasse was put to a vote, with a faction aligned to Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini winning overwhelmingly last night.

Those who voted in favour of credentials being adopted were 1 752, while 253 voted against. Only 226 abstained from voting.

This meant rebel unions were dealt a major blow in their ambitions to return expelled Numsa when they failed to have Limusa ejected from the congress.

The fight over credentials took the whole day, resulting in alliance leaders, including parliamentary speaker Baleka Mbete who was representing the ANC, leaving without delivering her scheduled speech.

Supporters of expelled Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi wanted his and Numsa’s return to be discussed.

But, Dlamini’s supporters were set to block this, saying the dismissed parties could appeal at an ordinary conference in November.

Earlier, ANC national executive committee members met with Cosatu leaders to remind them to look at the bigger picture on the implications of a breakaway from the federation.

The ANC was led by its treasurer Zweli Mkhize, Ace Magashule, Stone Sizani and Naledi Pandor, among others.

An ANC leader said it was important to debate the expulsions so the matter could be put to rest. He also said that those in support of Vavi and Numsa did not have the numbers to win any debate.

One of Cosatu’s founders, Sydney Mufamadi, said he thought there was still room to mediate between the two factions.

The Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) and the SA Commercial and Catering Workers Union refused that the congress adopt the credentials, leading the matter to be put to a vote.

This was after municipal workers union Samwu had moved for the adoption of the credentials.

Fawu secretary Katishi Masemola told Sowetan late yesterday they were confident that Vavi ’ s and Numsa’s expulsion would be discussed.

“It does not matter if we win the debate or not but we want the matter discussed and [to] see who supports us,” Masemola said.

Following a protest outside the venue by some delegates of transport union Satawu who were excluded from the congress, Dlamini admitted that the congress was at a stalemate and could collapse.