Cosatu general secretary Solly Phetoe has thrown down the gauntlet to rival Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, telling Vavi the ANC-aligned labour federation does not need his permission to unify workers. Vavi, a former general secretary of Cosatu, wrote to Phetoe on November 7 to express his unhappiness that Cosatu was engaging Saftu-affiliated unions with a view to rejoin Cosatu, saying these actions were disingenuous, undermined unity efforts and were a deliberate attempt to destabilise Saftu. Vavi wrote in the letter, which Business Day has seen, that members who attended Saftu’s special central committee (SCC) meeting held on November 5 received formal reports and evidence indicating that Cosatu wrote directly to the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu), canvassing for “one country, one federation”.
This action was viewed as inappropriate and disrespectful, Vavi wrote. “Fawu or Numsa [National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa] are not federations but affiliates of Saftu. Cosatu itself will take exception if Saftu were to write letters directly to Cosatu-affiliated unions in the name of pursuing the principle of ‘One country, one federation’,” said Vavi.
“Cosatu previously invited Numsa directly to its central committee, independently of Saftu, and subsequently stated that the ‘same invitation had been sent to Saftu’, a claim which is factually untrue. This created the unmistakable impression of attempts to deal with Saftu’s affiliates outside of acceptable protocols and proper organisational channels,” the letter read. The SCC resolved that Cosatu’s conduct was “mischievous, divisive and aimed at destabilising Saftu”.
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“Saftu hereby demands that Cosatu immediately cease these practices, including direct engagement with Saftu affiliates outside of established federation-to-federation channels. “Saftu will suspend all co-operation, engagements and joint activities with Cosatu until this matter is resolved politically and in good faith.” Vavi said Saftu will not attend any Cosatu events or meetings “until a full discussion and a resolution of the matter”. “Saftu remains committed to genuine worker unity, rooted in mutual respect, organisational integrity and principled co-operation.
However, unity cannot be built on manoeuvres that undermine trust, violate agreed processes, or target affiliates in a manner that appears to be a deliberate attempt to liquidate or destabilise the federation you claim to want to unite with,” Vavi said. “We therefore request a formal written response from Cosatu addressing the issues raised above and providing clarity on how Cosatu intends to correct its conduct going forward.” Speaking to Business Day on the sidelines of Cosatu’s 40th anniversary rally at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto at the weekend, Phetoe said Cosatu’s central committee meeting in September took a decision to engage unions that left the labour federation.
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