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Satawu slams 'rebels' picketing outside Cosatu congress

Johannesburg - Members of Satawu who were picketing outside Cosatu's special national congress on Monday night demanding to be allowed to take part were "self- seeking" and "power hungry" rebels, the union's general secretary Zenzo Mahlangu said on Tuesday.

"These members have been suspended and the constitution of Satawu clearly states that when a member is expelled that member may neither participate in the union nor receive any benefits,” Mahlangu said in a statement.

Mahlangu described the group as "power-hungry rebels" and accused them of taking advantage of the special national congress.

On Monday night, a group of Satawu shop stewards danced and sang outside the congress venue in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, demanding to speak to Cosatu president S'dumo Dlamini.

Satawu's Kempton Park secretary Lucky Zondo said a court decision was made on Monday morning, which ruled that 15 of the union's members had been suspended illegally.

"We are not being allowed into this (congress); we already have a court ruling saying we must resume our constitutional duties, and that the union does not have powers to suspend us except (institute) certain disciplinary hearings in the union," Zondo said.

He claimed that a number of provincial officials had been pepper-sprayed at their hotel on Sunday night, after disagreements about who would represent the union.

"They were sidelined simply because they wanted answers about R60m (that went missing), they cannot be allowed into Satawu because they are not falling within the right faction."

Cosatu had told them that Satawu was already being represented by 40 delegates. Those allowed into the gathering represented one faction within Satawu, Zondo said.

He said if those who were reinstated by the court were not allowed in, the union would reconsider its alliance with Cosatu.

Mahlangu on Tuesday condemned those "spreading lies to the media".

He said the small group was not accredited and could not sit in the congress because their names had not been submitted through their respective provincial structures.

"They then took it upon themselves to act forcefully and try to enter the venue using violence and power.

"As a union we cannot allow such barbaric behaviour to happen at our meetings."

During his opening address on Tuesday morning, Dlamini told the congress that Cosatu was working with Satawu's leaders in the national level to address the divisions in the union's provincial levels.

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