Cosatu congress enters second day

The first day was marred by delays and disagreements as delegates tabled motions before credentials could be adopted. Proceedings started three hours late, while Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini was only able to officially open the congress after 6pm.

A vote was called for after the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) rejected the adoption of the congress credentials that included Liberated Metal Workers Union of South Africa (Limusa) as an affiliate and second deputy president Zingiswa Losi as a national office bearer.

Fawu’s objections stemmed from the fact that Losi was suspended as a National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) shopsteward before she joined the police as a Police and Prisons Civil Rights Unions (Popcru) shopsteward.

Fawu, supported by the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu), wanted Losi to be withdrawn from the list of national office bearers.

A total of 1,962 delegates voted for the adoption of the credentials, while 331 were opposed to it, and 187 abstained.

President Jacob Zuma had to leave the congress during debates over credentials and could not address the delegates at the scheduled time. He returned a few hours later in the evening.

Zuma said the tri-partite alliance remained relevant today and needed each other as the onslaught against the working class was big. He urged the congress to emerge united and ready to fight “the enemy”.

“Do not fight your comrade, there is a bigger fight …,” Zuma said.

Dlamini was nominated as president, Tyotyo James as first deputy president, Losi as second deputy president, Bheki Ntshalintshali as secretary and Frede Oosthuizen as treasurer. The five posts were uncontested.

The only contested post was that of deputy secretary, where Cosatu North West chairperson Solly Phetoe and former Denosa North West provincial secretary Oscar Phaka would go head to head for the post.

The secretary post was previously held by Zwelinzima Vavi, who was dismissed earlier this year for misconduct.

Ntshalintshali was expected to present the organisation’s political report on Tuesday. Leaders from the alliance would also address the delegates.

Cosatu, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is faced with internal divisions, declining membership, its position and influence within the tripartite alliance.

The expulsion last year of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) from Cosatu also contributed to the drop in membership. Numsa has more than 300 000 members.

The country’s biggest trade union federation has bemoaned the decline in its membership, which is currently at 1,9 million, down from 2.2 million in 2012. The congress ends on Thursday. - ANA