Editor
The expulsion of the Congress of South African Trade Unions Secretary (COSATU), General Zwelinzima Vavi on March 31 this year was an unprecedented move in the tripartite alliance if one considers the fact that in the alliance tradition the position of the Secretary General is one that is treated with great reverence.

In fact, the ugly conflict has been tearing COSATU apart for a long time, and has to be the most disheartening political developments of recent times. Here is a powerful and resilient organisation, one that was painstakingly built under difficult conditions during the heyday of apartheid in the 1980’s- unravelling at a time when its voice and power are sorely needed.

PW Botha’s National Party regime went to great lengths in its efforts to contain and even crush COSATU, culminating in the infamous bombing of the COSATU house by the agencies in 1987. But COSATU survived it all and entered the democratic dispensation a potent force that was to play a key role in determining South Africa’s constitutional, political and economic direction.

The early years of democracy were a testing time for COSATU as the federation tried to navigate a relationship with the ANC that was in power – a period in which former comrades were now haughty ministers with airs and graces. COSATU leaders tried to define a role as a loyal but vigilant member of the tripartite alliance. They called the ANC to order on many fronts, particularly on corruption and what they perceived to be the governing party’s straying towards neo-liberal economics.

However, today the federation seems to be in shambles and paralysing itself. The battle is between COSATU President, Sdumo Dlamini – a slavish Zuma apostle and now expelled federation’s General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi who has been always sounding loud warnings about corruption and the wayward direction that the ANC is taking.

However, Vavi is not beyond reproach in this COSATU’s acrimonious scenario. Firstly, he is allegedly involved in fraudulently awarding a tender to “buy a COSATU building from his stepdaughter’s company.” Secondly, he concurred to have had sex with a junior COSATU official in the office.

Thirdly, he has snubbed COSATU’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) on two occasions by refusing to attend the committee’s meetings.
And, now that he has been expelled, he is obviously going “to court and mobilise union members to help him challenge his expulsion.”
Sadly, the day following Vavi’s expulsion, another COSATU brain, Patrick Craven who was the federation’s spokesperson also resigned citing the fact that “he can’t defend the defenceless.”

But, history tells us that in the alliance no one is bigger than the movement. Meanwhile, a greater victor in this COSATU battle will be what the comrades call their “class enemy” – capital. With the trade union movement in disarray, the balance of forces in society will shift in the direction of those who speak with a more coherent voice and whose wishes do not always coincide with those of COSATU.
And the greatest loser: the workers whose interests have already been relegated in favour of the high stakes political game.

Philani Hadebe