SACP ‘seeking more influence in Cosatu’
Link to Zuma causes jostling ahead of federation’s national congress, writes Natasha Marrian
THERE are moves to identify a challenger to replace Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi at the federation’s coming national congress, although a bid to unseat him would be challenging.
Mr Vavi has held the position since 1999 and was forced to withdraw an earlier decision not to stand for re-election this year after the federation’s 2009 conference, with Cosatu reminding Mr Vavi that the decision not to contest was not up to him.
Insiders say the congress, to be held in Midrand from September 17, could be deeply contested, particularly around the position of the general secretary. Some sections of the federation want to see Mr Vavi replaced but have acknowledged that he is a “very powerful man” and that his challenger would have to be “brave”.
It is understood that no names have been put forward formally, but those against Mr Vavi believe the most senior and respected leader who could take him on would be National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) general secretary Fikile Majola.
Unions said to be aligned to the faction wanting Mr Vavi replaced include the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Nehawu, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru). However, the affiliates themselves are divided over the matter.
Those supporting Mr Vavi are the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), some sections of Sadtu and the South African Municipal Workers Union, and the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union.
Mr Vavi’s sometimes brutal honesty on matters affecting the federation and the alliance with the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) has rubbed some up the wrong way, leading to the rise of a lobby against him that is influenced heavily by the leadership of the SACP.
A senior leader of a large Cosatu affiliate says the SACP strategy has been to “co-opt” key presidents and general secretaries into its central committee to influence the federation from the inside.
A most recent example of this was the election of the NUM president, Senzeni Zokwana, as SACP chairman. Also, Sadtu president Thobile Ntola, who is close to Mr Vavi, failed to make it back on to the SACP’s central committee. Sources say the SACP and federation leaders, who are also among its top brass, were coaxing Mr Majola into taking Mr Vavi on.
Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini on Friday dismissed the claims of an attempt to replace Mr Vavi. “Those coming up with that are mischievous,” Mr Dlamini said, and there was no talk of replacing anyone.
Leaders of Cosatu who feature strongly in the SACP include Mr Dlamini, NUM general secretary Frans Baleni and Mr Majola.
Centre for the Study of Democ- racy director Steven Friedman said the SACP influence was an attempt to put its “stamp” on Cosatu in relation to ANC politics, in the buildup to the ANC’s elective congress in Mangaung in December.
SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande is a close ally of President Jacob Zuma, who is set to stand for a second term as the gov- erning party’s president.
The tussle between those supporting and those against Mr Vavi was playing out in Cosatu provincial congresses.
Last week, Sadtu and Numsa aired their differences through press statements, with the teachers’ union attacking Mr Vavi and Numsa defending him.
One of the points of contention between the two arose from the provincial elective conference in which supporters of Mr Vavi fielded a candidate for the position of chairman who was apparently suspended by the national leadership of his own union, the NUM.
Sadtu Mpumalanga secretary Walter Hlaise said the candidate was allowed to stand despite his suspension, which violated the NUM’s constitution.
It is understood that the candidate, Lucky Dlangamandla, was aligned to the former NUM deputy general secretary, Oupa Komane, who challenged — and lost to — Mr Baleni for the position in May. Mr Vavi apparently intervened to allow Mr Dlangamandla to stand, but the latter failed to obtain the necessary majority to win the position. Mr Vavi declined to comment.
Mr Friedman said Cosatu has traditionally managed contestation well within its ranks — a challenge to the general secretary would not be a “problem” for the union.