Court orders Cosatu to meet on Numsa ousting

THE Johannesburg High Court has ordered the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) to hold a special congress within two months after unions unhappy with its expulsion of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) went to court.

The congress will reconsider the expulsion of Numsa‚ which was barred from Cosatu in November after it refused to follow the federation’s political line by supporting the ANC election campaign.

Judge Frans Legodi ordered yesterday that the federation hold the special national congress from July 13-14‚ and serve notice to affiliates no later than June 28.

Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini had undertaken to issue the notice‚ and Legodi ordered that the parties must pay their own legal fees.

Seven Cosatu affiliates – the Democratic Nursing Association of SA‚ the Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Fawu)‚ the SA Football Players’ Union‚ the SA State and Allied Workers’ Union‚ the Public and Allied Workers’ Union of SA‚ the Com- munication Workers’ Union and the SA Commercial Catering and Allied Workers’ Union. – backed the court bid.

According to the federation’s constitution‚ the congress must be held at the request of a third of the affiliates‚ with the seven pushing for the congress since the 2013 congress to elect a new leadership and to put to rest divisions plaguing Cosatu.

Fawu general secretary Katishi Masemola said the unions had been vindicated by the declaratory order.

The union’s position on the Cosatu constitution and the call for a special national congress had always been valid‚ he said.

The unions were expected to meet later this week to discuss‚ among other things‚ returning to participation in Cosatu leadership structures.

Dlamini‚ who could not be reached for comment‚ has repeatedly maintained that the congress would proceed.

The federation, however, cited financial difficulties‚ even as it faced accusations of delaying tactics. – BDlive