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Johannesburg - Cosatu's special central executive committee meeting has been adjourned for two weeks, when discussions on Numsa's future in the trade union federation would continue.
"The national office-bearers of the Congress of SA Trade Unions convened a special meeting of its CEC from 21 to 23 October 2014 to receive a report of the African National Congress task team and to sign off the secretariat report for the forthcoming central committee meeting," spokesperson Patrick Craven said in a statement.
"There was a frank, robust and difficult discussion on the ANC report, and the CEC decided not to take any decisions but to reconvene on 7 November 2014, when there will be a discussion, informed by the ANC task team."
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) would be given the opportunity to make presentations on whether or not it should be suspended or expelled from the trade union federation.
It was rumoured that the CEC on Thursday was going to vote on whether Numsa should remain in Cosatu.
However, Craven on Thursday evening said there was no vote.
Numsa has indicated that it wants to stay in Cosatu but leaders of some of the affiliates want the union out.
Numsa and Cosatu have been at loggerheads since the trade union federation suspended its general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi. This was after a woman alleged he had raped her at work. She had not reported it to police. Vavi said they had an affair.
Numsa had been a staunch Vavi supporter during his suspension and instituted the court proceedings against the trade union federation, insisting that Vavi be reinstated.
Numsa was one of the unions calling for a special Cosatu congress, at which it wanted new leadership elected.
At its special congress in December, the metalworkers' union took the decision not to support the ANC during the general elections.
This was despite being an affiliate of Cosatu, which is an alliance partner of the ruling party.
An African National Congress task team was formed in April to help solve problems within Cosatu.
Just after Vavi returned to work in April, a special CEC was held where the task team brokered an agreement between Cosatu, Vavi and some affiliates.
The ANC task team, led by its deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, presented its interim report to the CEC meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The report gives a summary of what Cosatu affiliates identified as problems in the union federation.
Craven said the call for a special national congress and the disciplinary against Vavi would also be discussed at the next special CEC.
