More union arrests are imminent

THE SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), the country’s largest municipal union, found itself in deeper trouble than ever after its central executive committee dismissed its deputy general secretary, Koena Ramotlou, last night.

The move came as police sources confirmed that more arrests were imminent at the union after three top officials, including a former deputy general secretary, were arrested on Tuesday. The union has also since suspended its head of finance.

A majority of the union’s central executive committee passed a vote of no confidence against Ramotlou, as the fallout over the disappearance of R136 million in union funds claimed more casualties.

Independent Media was informed union general secretary Walter Theledi would also be booted out, but his fate had not been confirmed at the time of going to press.

Samuel Phaswane, a consultant hired by the union and given wide powers over its coffers, is in police custody.

While the charge faced by Ramotlou was described by sources as an administrative error with no links to finances, Theledi was likely to be axed over allegations of financial mismanagement which had hung over his head for some time.

The fallout over the disappearance of the funds and the subsequent Hawks investigation has led to a split in the union and a breakaway municipal union, which sources say has done little to end divisions.

A union member who did not want to be named described the factional battles in the union as “very bad”.

The axing of the general secretary and his deputy, it is believed, is not the beginning of a clean-up but rather part of a backlash by a faction supporting the arrested former deputy general secretary.