COSATU’s 15th National Congress has been adjourned and will reconvene in 30 days, allowing the federation time to address internal matters. PHOTO: X/Supplied
By Amy Musgrave
For the first time in its history, Cosatu has failed to convene its national congress. The four-day meeting, which was due to start on Monday morning, was adjourned on Tuesday night and will now reconvene within 30 days, in line with the trade union federation’s constitution.
The two days were marred by violence, insults and delays concerning the legalities of the meeting.
The federation’s central executive committee (CEC) spent large parts on Monday and Tuesday locked behind closed doors deliberating on the way forward.
The media was informed that a press briefing would be held on Wednesday afternoon. In the meantime, Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi will update the more than 1800 delegates.
Cosatu’s 16 affiliates were unable to find each other earlier in the day on whether to dissolve the 15th elective congress.
At the centre of the chaos was disputed credentials, the legal standing of Cosatu first deputy president Mike Shingange and whether the congress is proceeding lawfully. Unions including the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) argued that the congress must be postponed because a quorum was not reached on time.
Section 3.4.2 of Cosatu’s constitution reads: “If after three hours of the time fixed for the meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting must stand adjourned to a time and place decided upon by the president, provided that the meeting must be held within (1) month.”
The reason for this is that the majority of affiliates had not submitted their credentials documents by lunchtime on Monday because they first wanted clarity on Shingange, who was put on precautionary suspension by his union, Nehawu.
He is the president of the union.
Newhawu has taken issue with Shingange wanting to accept nomination to stand as Cosatu’s next president and the matter is in the Labour Court, according to insiders.
Several affiliates are backing him, however, Nehawu is apparently supporting SA Democratic Techers’ Union deputy president Mabutho Cele.
Unions did not get announcing which candidates they will support for Cosatu’s top six positions.
Cosatu General Secretary Solly Phetoe told delegates that a special meeting of the CEC, which sat late into Monday and Tuesday morning, had agreed that Shingange was under provisional suspension in terms of Nehawu’s constitution, and not Cosatu’s constitution.
This meant that he remained as the federation’s deputy president.
However, it is unclear what will happen if Shingange is expelled by his union.
Some unions demanded a legal opinion on the matter. They also argued that with the time wasted, the congress would have insufficient time to discuss its reports and reach resolutions.
NUM deputy president Olihile Kgwari said in reaction to the CEC decision, that it is not a “tested legal opinion”.
He said while “a lot of money” will be lost by postponing the meeting, “we must do things right”.
“We want to justice to the resolutions… We don’t want to turn this congress into a battle of muscles. We move to evoke that clause (of the constitution on the quorum,” Kgwari said.
Nehawu told delegates it had no objection to Shingange contesting the election, saying its issues with him were an internal union matter.
Sadtu appealed for the congress to continue, saying its members could not afford the cost of attending another meeting.