Cosatu confirms Numsa, Vavi expulsions

Johannesburg - Cosatu's national congress on Thursday confirmed the expulsion of its former general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).

The congress first voted on whether Numsa's expulsion should be upheld or not. This was after two motions were tabled during a discussion on the expulsion.

Delegates who wanted Numsa's expulsion confirmed were told to stand, those against it to sit, and those abstaining to sit with their arms crossed.

While the Independent Electoral Commission counted votes, delegates sang songs saying Numsa "must go".

A total of 904 delegates voted to confirm Numsa's expulsion, 67 were against it and one person abstained.

'Hamba kahle Numsa'

After voting there was a final farewell to the metalworkers union as some sang "hamba kahle Numsa".

The Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) wanted Numsa's expulsion to be overturned and for the metalworkers to be returned to the Cosatu fold.

However, the motion was not seconded despite the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) putting it on record that it did not believe Numsa's expulsion was right.

An overwhelming majority, 1 183, voted in favour of Vavi's expulsion. A total of 87 voted against it and 27 abstained. 

The same scenario played out during the discussion on Vavi's expulsion. Fawu asked the congress not to rush into the matter, but to discuss the underlying issues that led to his expulsion. Again this motion was not seconded by other affiliates.

Delegates started singing a negative song referring to Vavi's sex scandal, but were warned by Cosatu first deputy president Tyotyo James not to do so. This did not stop those who wanted Vavi's expulsion to be confirmed from humming the song.

This article first appeared on News24 - see here.