Union backs public audit call

Cape Town - The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) on Monday supported a call by the Congress of SA Trade Unions for lifestyle audits of public representatives and leaders, as a "Kebble-ism" had taken root.

"This call should be understood within the context of an embedded and deep-seated Kebble-ism within our movement, which hands out largesse in order to secure their own personal accumulation agendas," the union said.

The CWU said many were using the ANC and the state for wealth accumulation and "crass materialism".

Its call comes amid a furore over reports that ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has accumulated million of rands from state tenders awarded to a company of which he was a director.

"We reject the usage of public offices and leadership positions for ill-gotten wealth and exclusive parties in opulent suburbs by our public representatives and leaders," the union said.

"We call on the revolutionary alliance as a leader of society to endorse the lifestyle audit as being called by Cosatu."

The CWU on the secretariat of the alliance to convene an urgent meeting for a political discussion on the development of a framework on lifestyle audits.

"No amount of bullying, grandstanding, labelling and rhetorical radicalism should deter the movement from nipping in the bud this cancer of self-enrichment and crass materialism."

The CWU welcomed the willingness shown by Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi to volunteer to open his closets "for all and sundry to see that he has nothing to hide".

"We wish that all our leaders will emulate this revolutionary gesture by Comrade Vavi. We call on other genuine leaders of the working class and the poor to fear nothing."

Law enforcement agencies must move swiftly on those that are "barking the loudest" as they know exactly what it are that they are hiding, the union said.

- Sapa