If Cosatu does not deal with the factionalism that is tearing it apart, it will take more than two decades to repair the damage, general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Thursday.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Chris Hani brigade in Polokwane, Vavi reminded graduates of the Congress of SA Trade Union's resolutions, which he said were abandoned in favour of divisions.

"Every time you go back and read them, your heart can only bleed at the reality that none of those issues have been taken forward, because instead of us doing so the leadership has turned against one another and plunged the federation into an unending leadership battle," he said.

Vavi said Cosatu's leadership had the responsibility of preventing the federation from splitting.

"It will take us 15, 20, 25 years to reverse the damage.

"When there are divisions, one victim... is the truth. The truth is being told in a convenient manner by factionals," he said.

"Let us not sentence one another to death... when there are divisions, there are no political discussions."

Vavi said divisions gave birth to gangsterism and fights.

"We were supposed to report as to what happened to our 2015 plan, but what happened to workers' material conditions? How dare we engage in this mindless battle to kill and assassinate each other's character," he said.

He said Cosatu was failing to recruit the remaining 71 percent of workers who were unionless because its focus had been diverted.

"They are exploited brutally by the labour brokers every day. Where do we get the energy to fight one another instead of recruiting unorganised workers?" he asked.

Vavi said Cosatu was at its weakest and was failing to implement resolutions taken at its 2012 congress.