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Cape Town – The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has confirmed the suspension of general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and accused him of several violations.
Deputy General Secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, told a press conference that Vavi was a divisive figure in the federation and that he shifted Cosatu resources to aid Numsa.
According to Ntshalintshali Vavi violated organisational conduct and exposed Cosatu’s financial state.
The conduct of the General Secretary constitutes "gross misconduct"... and "Comrade Zwelinzima Vavi is dismissed as the General Secretary of Cosatu with immediate effect", the union federation said at the conference.
“He must return all the property of the federation. Nobody in the federation will take instructions from Vavi,” he said.
Vavi has also been ordered to stop speaking to the media on behalf of Cosatu.
On Tuesday Vavi vowed to continue his fight. "I am a fighter. I do not just walk away when I think something is wrong," he told Fin24 in response to reports that he intended accepting his dismissal as general secretary of Cosatu and would leave to establish a rival federation.
READ: Vavi vows to fight on
According to leaked reports from the CEC meeting, 31 of the CEC delegates voted for his expulsion, with one against. However, seven Cosatu affiliates boycotted the meeting which also agreed to accept the membership of a small, rival metalworkers' union, Limusa, headed by former National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) president Cedric Gina.
By accepting membership of Limusa, the CEC majority underlined their claim that the expulsion of Numsa is final. However, like the dismissal of Vavi, it is not - at least not in terms of the federation's democratic constitution.
According to the constitution, only a national congress of delegates of all affiliated unions can ratify - and may overturn - the suspension or expulsion of any office bearer or affiliate.
What the Limusa membership and the refusal for nearly two years to call a special national congress signifies is that the CEC majority are determined to - in the words of Vavi - "surgically remove" both himself and Numsa. But this is unlikely to happen without a fight.
#COSATU Special CEC underway, with NOB's respending on Q&A session pic.twitter.com/w1SSDqgBon
— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) March 31, 2015#COSATU Special CEC still underway at COSATU House, Braamfontein pic.twitter.com/ivXJFW73B8
— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) March 31, 2015
