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ANC not in favour of Numsa expulsion

Cyril Ramaphosa Deputy President South Africa
Cyril Ramaphosa Deputy President South Africa

The ruling party was not in favour of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA being expelled from Cosatu, deputy ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday.

Briefing media in Parliament, Ramaphosa said the possible expulsion of Numsa was not even on the agenda of several meetings held with Cosatu affiliates over the past few months.

"We never even really canvassed an idea that one of the unions should be excluded out of Cosatu," Ramaphosa said.

"That is not one of the ANC's preferences. The ANC's preference is that Cosatu should remain united."

Ramaphosa led an ANC task team which presented its interim report to the Cosatu central executive committee on Tuesday.

The task team met 19 Cosatu affiliates, including Numsa, to canvass their views on tensions within the federation, and to get input on whether the tripartite alliance should continue.

"Obviously Numsa had its own stance on it because they had taken a public posture in that regard," he said.

"All the other unions felt strongly that the alliance that is led by the African National Congress should continue."

Several unions wanted a special national congress to be called.

"The special congress must discuss the challenges and issues such as unity," Ramaphosa said.

"We even said things like change of leadership and so forth obviously could be addressed at the next normal conference which is due to be called in 2015."

The ANC would not intervene in other matters that needed attention, including possible disciplinary action against Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi for having an affair with a junior employee and issues arising from the sale of Cosatu's old headquarters.

"We advised and recommended that those issues need to be addressed. They are not issues to be swept under the carpet, but they need to be addressed by Cosatu itself without the ANC interfering," said Ramaphosa.

"In the way they address that there should be fairness. There should be unity. It should all be done in accordance with the Cosatu constitution."

There had been divisions in Cosatu since Vavi was suspended last year for having what he called an affair with a junior employee who accused him of rape but did not report it to police.

Following a court battle, instituted by Numsa, Vavi's suspension was overturned by the High Court in Johannesburg earlier this year, and he returned to work.

Numsa and Vavi's future in Cosatu have come into question, with rumours that both could be suspended.

Numsa has strayed from the Cosatu mandate by pronouncing in December that it would not support the ANC in the general elections.

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