Share

Vavi calls for 'new' Cosatu workers summit

Johannesburg - The Cosatu that was founded in 1985 is falling apart and splinter unions are growing as a result, former General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Saturday.

"The reality we are facing is that the Cosatu as we know it before is being fragmented. Splinter unions are springing up, as we've never seen before. These comrades are gone, they are not coming back,"he said

Vavi was speaking at the launch of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA's shop steward election in central Johannesburg.

"[The SA Democratic Teachers Union] currently is splitting. It appears that the whole of the EC is going to go along with chunks of the Free State and Gauteng. The banking union Sasbo is splitting.

"This is what is happening in our federation, like it or not," he said.

Vavi said the federation's leaders did not thoroughly understand the history of Cosatu, if they had they would not have take the risk of sowing divisions by expelling Numsa.

"How can this happen at a time when we need the unity for the working class? You must now know that you have dismissed the biggest union, the fastest growing." 

Moral high ground

Vavi said the other two alliance partners the SA Communist Party and the African National Congress had lost their moral authority.

"Anybody who is refusing to see the writing on the wall does not want to, a new federation is being created in front of our eyes."

He called on workers to address this at a workers summit. 

"We are calling for a workers summit. Those who believe in the independent, militant, socialist orientated, anti-capitalist trade unions - we will say to them come to the workers summit to address the future of the workers in our country.

"That summit must now decide what that future holds."

He also called on Numsa members to join the march against to Pretoria against corruption which would take place on August 19.

The packed hall of women and men stood up and sang "Siyaya e Pitori. Siyaya e Kapital (We are going to Pretoria, we are going to the capital)" as they stomped on the ground.





We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
42% - 397 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
58% - 559 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.91
-0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.43
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.2%
Platinum
910.50
+1.5%
Palladium
1,011.50
+1.0%
Gold
2,221.35
+1.2%
Silver
24.87
+0.9%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.8%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.8%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE