A statement from Mr Vavi on the eve of his high court challenge of his illegal suspension

Fellow South Africans

In just under 24 hours, nine progressive trade unions and myself shall be appearing before the South Gauteng High Court where we shall be challenging, amongst others, my illegal suspension from my elected position as General Secretary of COSATU. As I've said so before, and this is worth repeating here and now: we are approaching the law courts as a last resort and with a heavy heart.

We are however doing so because we believe in the rule of law and that none of us, including the General Secretary of COSATU, is above the law and when he believes his rights are being violated, he, like any worker, is free to approach our courts as the last arbiters.

Over the last seven months of my illegal suspension, we've provided the South African public with the reasons for the basis of our challenge. These are now available in the website we've created: vivavavi.org.za

I firmly believe the High Court will vindicate my position about this suspension.

As the attacks on me, my family and of my comrades have grown in the last seven months, so have the numbers of those who have defended my rights. We've received so much love and support during this episode.

I take the opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to my family especially my wife Noluthando, workers and ordinary South Africans as well as the nine progressive unions which have rallied behind me and the need to call a special national congress to decisively break the impasse gripping COSATU today. 

Statement issued on behalf of Cde Zwelinzima Vavi by John Dludlu, Vavi family spokesman, March 26 2014

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