NUMSA stands by the implementation of transparent and lawful provisions of the COSATU Constitution presently flouted
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) as well as the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) and South African Football Players Union (SAFPU) will be challenging the COSATU Central Executive Committee's failure to adhere to COSATU's constitutional prescripts, giving rise to the illegal suspension of comrade Zwelinzima Vavi, at the Gauteng South High Court to be held on 27 and 28 March 2014. This application is simultaneously supported by comrade Vavi in his personal capacity, as the fourth applicant in the matter.
We wish to reiterate our view that as far as we are concerned the suspension of comrade Vavi by the impromptu August 2013 Central Executive Committee (CEC) was contrived to avoid the required decision making processes contained in the COSATU Constitution. This action rides on the back of a political offensive by certain factions within the Federation against comrade Vavi, since its failed attempts to remove comrade Vavi from his elected position at the 11th National Congress of COSATU last held in September 2012.
Furthermore, we strongly condemn the manner in which comrade Vavi, has been treated by COSATU's National Office Bearers (NOBs'), in collaboration with certain Affiliates' leaders. This has clearly demonstrated that comrade Vavi's illegal suspension was a contrived strategy to remove him from the political arena.
The COSATU constitution is deliberately and continuously being flouted to achieve certain factional and political ends. The charges that were presented to COSATU General Secretary comrade Vavi, did not follow due processes in line with the established internal COSATU processes. For example, as an elected National Office Bearer, the decision to press disciplinary charges against comrade Vavi should have been taken by a properly constituted CEC of COSATU, and not by fellow NOBs', as was the case! This action is clearly outside the competence of the NOBs'.
In complete violation of comrade Vavi's right to a fair internal COSATU hearing, the charges were leaked to the media, in order to subject comrade Vavi to the court of public opinion, and to destroy his character and reputation.
We know that the SizweNtsalubaGobodo preliminary forensic report, whose contents were also leaked to the media before comrade Vavi could even read the report, was doctored and distorted in order to destroy the public stature and integrity of comrade Vavi.
We are also deeply concerned about the fact that a bogus and concocted Intelligence Report was circulated to certain Affiliates leaders by COSATU President Sidumo Dlamini, alleging that COSATU General Secretary comrade Vavi, was working with imperialist forces to destabilize the ANC and the country. To this day, no action has been taken against COSATU President Dlamini, to ascertain the originality and authenticity of this fake Intelligence Report, which was shown to certain Affiliates leaders in secret meetings, including at the COSATU-paid residence of COSATU President Dlamini.
Today we see that there are very close similarities between some of the extra and concocted charges against comrade Vavi, and the contents of the now thoroughly discredited fake Intelligence Report.
In light of the above sequence of events, and other similar grave and deliberate constitutional transgressions by COSATU's NOBs', including decisions to hire extremely expensive Senior Councils to represent the NOBs' at the scheduled disciplinary hearing, while denying comrade Vavi the same facilities, leave us with no doubt that comrade Vavi will not get a fair hearing.
The NUMSA Regions in Gauteng, together with other Affiliates, are coordinating a two (2) day mass demonstration outside the Gauteng South High Court; we call on our members and other workers to come in their large numbers. This must be the biggest ever demonstration by workers to express our full support for our General Secretary comrade Zwelinzima Vavi, and our total rejection of the right-wing, factional, divisive and autocratic leadership of the current NOBs' of COSATU.
We call on our members and workers in general to join protests that will be organised outside the court this coming Thursday 27 March 2014 and Friday 28 March 2014, and help to mobilise others to partake and give support to COSATU's General Secretary comrade Vavi.
The action outside court will be every workers opportunity to demonstrate our unwavering support and immediate call for re-instatement of comrade Vavi, to his elected position by workers.
Every worker, every member of a COSATU Affiliate has a responsibility to defend COSATU from the ongoing right-wing attack, which has decided to get rid of comrade Vavi, in order to turn COSATU into a toothless, useless tool of anti-working class forces.
Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA national spokesperson, March 25 2014
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