PRESS STATEMENT ON THE RECKLESS STATEMENTS ATTRIBUTED TO GWEDE MANTASHE AS REPORTED IN THE SUNDAY TIMES
The meeting of the extended National Office Bearers (NOBs) of the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), extended to Provincial Chairpersons and Secretaries, in session on Sunday (18th August 2013), took a decision to condemn the statements attributed to Gwede Mantashe, the Secretary-General (SG) of the ANC, as reported in the Sunday Times (18th August 2013) as unfortunately reckless and destructive (see here).
We don't not understand why Comrade Gwede choses to condemn Zwelinzima Vavi, without first familiarizing himself with the disputed Central Executive Committee (CEC), as if he is choosing a side of those who claim the CEC was constitutional and hallucinated ‘decision', to suspend Vavi, valid.
We therefore take this opportunity to brief him on what transpired in the unconstitutional CEC, what we call an information-sharing activity, and maybe he will not instantaneously jump into judgmental deductions.
One, the constitutionality of this CEC is in dispute for several reasons, including on the basis of wrong notice and questionable credentials and absence of written reports. Two, the so-called decision, on ‘suspending' Vavi, was decreed instead of subjecting the two motions to a voting process in terms of the constitution.
FAWU wishes to clarify that Zwelinzima Vavi has full support, in clarifying and putting on the record straight, including on his right to approach the courts of law, of our organization. In 2005, the General Secretary of FAWU took FAWU to court. There are other examples, such as the DGS of NUM and GS of CEPPWAWU, this right exercised in practice. If anything, FAWU is taking legal advice on challenging the validity of this meeting and its decisions in the courts of law.
This extended FAWU NOB meeting, currently in session, took a decision to call on Gwede Mantashe to refrain from further poisoning the already contaminated situation with his ill-informed statements.
Statement issued by FAWU Deputy General Secretary Moleko Phakedi, August 18 2013
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