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Cape Town - Although his dismissal has been decided by Cosatu's central executive committee (CEC), Zwelinzima Vavi remains the general secretary of the labour federation.
On Monday evening Vavi was expelled during the Central Executive Commitee (CEC) meeting. His expulsion followed his boycott of the meeting.
READ: Cosatu expels Vavi
Thirty executive committee members voted in favour of Vavi's expulsion and one against.
According to the Cosatu constitution, only a national congress can make such a decision final. The same applies to the proclaimed expulsion of metalworkers union Numsa that was announced in November last year.
Numsa and seven other unions have unsuccessfully called for a special national congress to resolve this impasse, but this constitutional demand has been blocked by the CEC majority.
However, the federation is scheduled to hold its three-yearly congress in September.
So far as the executive majority is concerned neither Numsa nor Vavi should attend the congress.
However, this would also be contrary to the constitution. Should they continue with this position, they would, in effect, be promoting a split the federation.
ANC secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe, a former National Union of Mineworkers leader, has described the consequences of such a development as potentially "horrendous".
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