UNITED FRONT RESPONSE TO THE EXPULSION OF ZWELINZIMA VAVI FROM COSATU
As expected, yesterday the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) decided to expel Zwelinzima Vavi from his position as its General Secretary. The United Front (UF) regards this decision as the final nail in the regrettable terminal decline of what was once a mighty, principled, independent and militant federation of workers' trade unions.
COSATU will now continue as the labour desk of the African National Congress (ANC) with its militancy and independence finally killed. It is the view of the UF that at his height comrade Vavi was one of the most principled and committed leaders of COSATU post-1994. His expulsion will have a major impact on COSATU. He has paid the price for sticking out his neck to fight against the rise of the predatory elite and a crony capitalist state. His principled fight against corruption made him increasingly an enemy of the corrupt trade union bureaucracy that sits on the neck of workers.
The UF regards this crisis in COSATU as a reflection of sustained disintegration of working class organisation since 1994. This disintegration has primarily been driven by the failure of the post-1994 political and economic dispensation in protecting workers from systemic unemployment, starvation wages, exploitation and the neo-liberal restructuring of work. Compounding this was the failure of the trade union movement to adequately service members, organise farm workers, casual workers, informal workers and other marginalised workers.
Subjectively, many COSATU leaders were also coopted by employers, the government, the ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP). Even with these weaknesses, COSATU still remained for many years an important voice in defence of worker demands, and broader social struggles. This was on the back of the unwavering resilience and ability of workers to consistently mobilise and fight for their rights, a living wage and broader social justice.
A collapsing COSATU can be a serious threat to workers' rights. This is perhaps the time that capital and the neo-liberal government will strike some of the most serious blows against workers, and seek to confuse and demoralise workers. Already, this is confirmed by government's attitude in the public service negotiations.