• Tweet

WARNINGS: Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi

"The ANC must, in posture and policy, be different to the DA. The DA is our class enemy. We hope we will go back to basics when the ANC holds its policy conference."

He cited as similarities the two parties' stance on issues like labour brokers and youth wage subsidy.

Vavi blamed ANC blunders which he said contributed and motivated the DA to march against Cosatu to protest against the labour federation's stance on youth wage subsidy.

"The DA seeks to capitalise on the mistakes and own goals some in the leadership score, including such blunders as is the case with [Lieutenant-General] Mdluli who is facing serious accusations," he said.

Vavi said most black people who were part of the DA march to Cosatu house were desperate and bitter because of their conditions in the townships.

"These were not only hired and ill-informed African youths but they represent the face of desperation of the part of the youth who constitute 72% of the unemployed," he said.

"In the DA march you could hardly count the numbers of white males, it was mainly African youth.

"Remember, an empty stomach has no logic or rationality, no sense of history or complexities."

Vavi was addressing Cosatu's international policy conference in Kempton Park yesterday.

Vavi said despite the fact that some nations of the world were trapped in poverty some were spending big on luxurious items.

Vavi cautioned about the nature of the relationship South Africa and the entire continent forms with China.

"Many have called this [relationship] a new type of colonialism, meaning that China is replacing Europe in the colonisation drive."

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Tue May 21 06:10:01 SAST 2013 ::

May 17, 2012

The-Rothschilds

Argh Vavi...............nothing is you say is going to divert attention away from what you did.

Dont try and blame the ruling party for your own f*ck up.

Don't be too hostile towards China either, you need them more than what they need you buddy!
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

somaartakeit

Vavi its simple the anc has become lazy and complacent they don't think its policies need to be re-evaluated and improved to suit the needs based on challenged faced in that point and time, but then they elbowed out smart thinkers like Joel (frm anc policy strategic guy) forgotten his last name and now busy with looting so policies and strategies and such complicated matters like that are the least of their priorities, hence they have become a mediocre yes b@@s party. It wld be tragic if the ppl do not punish the anc at the ballots for being complacent.
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

Xovizwe

For you Vavi its a matter of being against DA no matter if they produce valid opinions of which even the SA government is considering. We must be clear that political rivalry does not always mean that you have to oppose you rivals. There will be some cases where you se eye to eye, just like Cosatu and DA do in the E-toll saga.
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

BraSteve

So even if something is right, the ANC has to oppose it just because it comes from the DA. Thats childish. The youth will now suffer joblessness because the ANC has to oppose the DA? It shows that Cosatu (and a whole lot of politicians) do not care about our well-being.

Also, maybe, just maybe the reason why it was black people at the march is that it was about unemployment. Something that affects black people. Nobody said the ANCYL was "using" unemployed youth during that useless march about economic freedom in our lifetime.

By the way the DA march was just as useless (even if there had been no violence)
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

NgaSwili

Instead of owning up to "beating-up the DA" he insults the masses "Remember, an empty stomach has no logic or rationality, no sense of history or complexities."

what does history or the struggle have to do with the youth wage subsidy? How does COSATU suggest the 5billion be used? What must happen to the millions who have degrees and can't be employed simply because of lack of experience? I ask all this questions but the truth is we all know where the 5Billion should go: "allocate to the correctional services that is where most youth are or will be anyway."
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

MayTricks

"Remember, an empty stomach has no logic or rationality, no sense of history or complexities."
very true, you can easily take advantage of a hungry person simply because they are more desperate!!!
finally the DA has finanly found the formulae,........."if you sell people hope, then you can easily win them over". Just pure politics!!!!
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

somaartakeit

@MayTricks
"finally the DA has finanly found the formulae" and the anc only has itself to blame for failing to deliver basics to the poor, whilst I understand and respect that our socio economic discrepancies occurred a long period of oppressive regime before the anc can not all be fixed in 18yrs, but the anc cld have afforded our ppl the very least of basics so they can have a reason to justify their continued support for the anc, le'ts hope if they get a shocking treatment in the up coming elections they will re-consider and the re commit themselves to social issues facing majority...

its for me amazing that it took this long for ppl to be become seriously disgruntled by the anc's contempt and indifference to their issues.
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

mthosam

very good move Vavi, I like the fact that you can realise that DA or no DA those youth represent the face of desperations. an ignored desperation results in a serious social unrest. refer to apartheid.
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

mthosam

A desperate nation is a danger to itself.
Report Abuse

May 17, 2012

me4life

@ VAVI
The ruling party likes the youth subsidy, The DA likes it , and most of the other parties like. What makes you think you and your hotheads will win in this? You go and hire hooligans in the streets to fight the DA. To me , it just seems you dont like this because the DA supports it , and not necessarily that it is bad. You are being racist buddy.
Report Abuse

Read all 17 comments