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Terry Bell writes that a destructive political bloodbath was avoided last week at the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) second elective conference.
But, while no issues were finally settled, the underlying problems, some of which have festered for years, were laid bare. However, amid the considerable skirmishing that triggered a swirl of rumours and allegations, a degree of democracy seemed to have been the real, although almost entirely publicly unacknowledged, winner. Delegates, considered by some observers to be mere voting fodder for different factions, proved that they can – and do – think and vote independently. While this provided a glimmer of hope, there was some worrying evidence of deep-seated animosity. At one stage, a large group of National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) delegates disrupted the conference, singing ‘ungayijahi impi, iyabulala’ [don’t call for war or you will die]. But this delegation, the largest at the conference, also did not appear to be a united voting bloc. As a result, Zwelinzima Vavi was re-elected as general secretary, defeating the KwaZulu-Natal regional secretary, Moses Mautsoe, who was nominated by Numsa. And Ruth Ntlokotse, suspended by the Numsa leadership, won the presidency against Mac Chabalala, who was nominated by the union that had axed her. However, the situation was much more complex than a leadership contest. As Mametlwe Sebei, president of the General Industrial Workers’ Union, noted: “The whole question here involved political and ideological orientations.” The basic issue of party political affiliation or the maintenance of an independent voice for labour remained the fundamental argument. In the end, the 2017 Saftu resolution of union independence stayed in place.
- Read the full original of Terry bell’s article in the above regard at City Press (subscriber access only)
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