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Johannesburg - Requests for a special congress may lead to a split within the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), the trade union federation said on Wednesday.
"There is recognition that the current request for a special congress is perceived differently by affiliates and has created division... and that it may lead to a split in Cosatu," deputy general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said.
He was briefing the media in Johannesburg following a central executive committee meeting held on August 12.
He said the purpose of the special congress should be to help the federation rebuild unity.
"The timing of the congress, its precise agenda and purpose, will all be influenced by the outcome of the internal process within Cosatu and the engagement with the African National Congress task team."
Read: Cosatu crisis threatens a major split
Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini said that as things stood within Cosatu, there was no guarantee that a congress would unite the federation.
"No one is disputing the right for a third of Cosatu to call for a congress," he said.
"The current state of affairs is that at the moment there is no guarantee that it will unite Cosatu."
Different Cosatu affiliates held different views on the call for special congress, he said.
"To go to a congress under the circumstances will bring about a split," Dlamini said.
Cosatu affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA, which did not back the African National Congress in the May 7 general elections, has been leading the call for a special national congress.
In relation to potential Cosatu split read:
Mantashe: Cosatu split is not an option
Dlamini: Threats to split Cosatu will fail
Ramaphosa has rescue plan for Cosatu
Jim wants to take over Cosatu - SACP
Leave Cosatu now, urges Dlamini
