Vavi lands top Saftu job
Veteran trade unionist Zwelinzima Vavi was last night elected unopposed as the new general secretary of the newly-launched trade union federation South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu).
The federation is holding its launch conference in Boksburg this weekend.
All 6 leadership positions were nominated and elected unopposed, in a deal which saw the affiliated unions nominate their preferred candidates to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)
" The steering committee held a view that there should be a consensus on all of the matters, including on the leadership, because this being the first congress to merge the unions and to establish a federation it would be somehow risky to open the issue that constitute the actual establishment of the congress up for voting," said Vavi.
Moleko Phakedi was elected as deputy general secretary, while Mac Chavalala will serve as the federation's founding President.
Earlier, delegates resolved to retain the name South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) despite objections against the name from rival federation the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa).
Saftu, punted as a politically independent and worker-controlled federation by its organisers, is spearheaded by Vavi and Numsa. Fawu resolved to leave Cosatu last year. The union had been at odds with Cosatu since the expulsion of Numsa in 2015, accusing the federation leaders led by Sidumo Dlamini of being biased against Numsa and Vavi.
Saftu will be the country's fourth union federation after Cosatu, Fedusa, and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu). Cosatu is the biggest of all the country's federations. The founding congress ends today.