COSATU general secretary, cde Zwelinzima Vavi, was a worried man when he spoke to delegates on day two of the congress.
Appealing for “calm and unity whatever the democratically determined outcome of the Congress”, he spelt out the consequences for the union and the working class if the battle for leadership positions in the union were to result in a split or paralyse the union.
“Whenever a union is engulfed in internal squabbles, workers suffer the naked brutality of the employers,” he told the close to 800 delegates.
Telling the congress that he had heard of various dirty tricks that were underway, including death threats against the treasurer, he urged leaders not to be blinded by narrow self-interest and short-sightedness.
While respecting members’ choices, unity was of paramount importance he said. This meant that there was no place for personalising disputes, for “labelling people as ultra left or rightists,… as too close to the ANC.”
Likewise, running to the press to “discredit opponents” showed that the person was not a “sincere activist”. Instead internal avenues should have been used, or if those had been closed, people could have gone to Cosatu for assistance.
He stressed that while a coherent and strong political and ideological perspective was needed, this did not mean that a leader could afford to be “intolerant of differences within a broad left perspective.”
Pointing to the strength that Numsa had displayed in the past in managing debates internally and showing united positions in the public even though it had differences, he urged the union to continue along these lines.
“Reflect on how you can strengthen and take forward Numsa’s traditions of democracy, debate and unity… rise above petty squabbles to forge unity and clarity of purpose for battles that lie ahead,” he said.