Vavi charges not reinstated

Johannesburg - The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Thursday denied that it had "reinstated charges" against its general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

"Nothing can be further from the truth," Vavi told reporters in Johannesburg.

"The Cosatu special CEC took no such a decision."

Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini said the central executive committee (CEC) "affirmed what was already there".

"The ANC shall deal with that matter in a political approach. Those matters [the charges] are part and parcel of that political process," he said.

Read: Unions boycott Cosatu special meeting

Cosatu's CEC sat in Johannesburg on Wednesday. The meeting was a continuation of one held on November 7, at which Cosatu's biggest affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), was expelled.

The agenda for the November 7 meeting included an update on the disciplinary process against Vavi, an update on litigation against Cosatu, its president Sidumo Dlamini's report on the request for the special national congress, and the signing off of the draft secretariat report.

These items had been put on hold since April when the African National Congress task team intervened to help Cosatu solve its internal problems.

Vavi on Thursday said it was decided that all matters on the agenda required informal discussions among all Cosatu affiliates.

Read: Numsa in court bid for Cosatu special congress

"[This will] culminate in a CEC to endorse a package of proposals emerging from this engagement.

"In this regard the CEC agreed to allow the NOBs working with the ANC task team and former Cosatu leaders to develop proposals on how this engagement will be undertaken."

He said the ANC task team would meet Cosatu national office bearers (NOBs) on Monday or Tuesday.

During Wednesday's meeting the CEC received a report from Dlamini regarding the call for a special national congress.

"The CEC endorsed the report, which includes working together towards a date on which the congress will be held," Vavi said.

"This date will be finalised as part of the engagement we will embark upon."

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