Saftu affiliates defend Vavi amid threats of suspension
Internal battles at the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) have reared their ugly head as affiliates go to toe-to-toe.
This after the federation’s general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi was issued a notice of intention to suspend him amid investigations into misconduct.
Vavi is accused of financial misappropriation.
Earlier this week, a letter addressed to Vavi emerge on social media giving him seven days to defend his position.
On Friday, affiliates of Saftu hit back at the national office bearers.
General-secretary of the Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union (Detawu) Vusi Ntshangase described the suspension threats as a political ploy to destabilise the federation ahead of its elective conference.
Detawu, a Saftu affiliate, is one of 13 affiliates fighting Vavi's battles.
"In terms of the Saftu constitution, the power to suspend a national office bearer exclusively resides in the national executive committee," said Ntshangase at the Marshalltown offices.
"Clause 3(5), section 3.3(5.3), sub-section 3.3.5 deals with the suspension of an office bearer and it states the following under the power and duties of the NEC that the NEC may suspend any office-bearer or official of the federation for sufficient cause until the matter is decided at the next meeting of the central committee.
"The Saftu general-secretary cannot be suspended by his own colleagues.”
Ntshangase countered the clams against Vavi, with claims of his own.
He labelled the move as misconduct.
"We reject with the contempt it deserves the attempt of some national office bearers to usurp this power of the NEC.
"We have made a conclusion that the behaviour of the president and the other national office bearers does constitute misconduct, politically and organisationally.
Ntshangase accused Saftu leadership of sabotaging Vavi.
"If less than 90 days before the congress you find the president and office bearers behaving on the manner they did, it is very difficult to dissociate that action from the congress.
"We have come to the conclusion that we think that the act of the office of the national office bearers is driven by the conspiracy theories to minimise competition at the congress and make Zwelinzima Vavi not eligible for election and reduce a choice for workers on who to elect.
"We will not take this thing lying down," he said.
Watch Ntshangase below:
WATCH: Detawu general secretary Vusi Ntshangase is among 13 affiliates of Saftu who have hit out against leadership threatening to suspend Zwelinzima Vavi. pic.twitter.com/GjkXP8yyvw
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) March 18, 2022
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