Business Day
*Cosatu plays waiting game in ANC race* *Natasha Marrian, Business Day, Johannesburg, 30 April 2012*FACTIONS vying for control of the African National Congress (ANC) cannot yet count on the support of its ally, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), as the union federation is taking a more cautious approach to the party's leadership race this time around.
Cosatu's guarded approach is a shift from the last ANC leadership race, where it was a key player in the rise to power of President Jacob Zuma in Polokwane in 2007.
Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi reiterated at a media briefing on Thursday that the federation would not pronounce on the ANC leadership question until the right time. He issued a tacit warning to the factions battling it out in the party.
"Cosatu will not be won over into any faction this time around, because that's now the binding policy on all of our leaders; you will not endorse any person unless it is the decision of the CEC (Cosatu's central executive committee)," Mr Vavi said.
Since the Polokwane conference, Cosatu has been critical of Mr Zuma's administration --- on issues ranging from the New Growth Path to corruption, changes to the labour laws and the contentious e-toll system in Gauteng.
Mr Vavi's comment last week was also in response to media reports that he was reluctant to endorse Mr Zuma for a second term, while Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini was seen as a key Zuma ally and would back him in December.
The federation admitted last year that the battle for the helm of the ruling party, to take place at its national conference in Mangaung, was dividing it. Mr Vavi said Cosatu had not yet taken a position on the ANC's leadership question.
One of its largest affiliates, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA, has, however, already said the ANC's national executive committee must be replaced.
Mr Vavi said the speculation on which Cosatu leader was backing or opposing the current ANC leadership was "unhelpful".
"We don't have a preoccupation about who must be the leader in 2012. We think that our preoccupation is the problem of unemployment inequality and poverty ."
When the time was right, Cosatu would evaluate the leadership against its own guidelines, adopted by the central committee in 2005, said Mr Dlamini yesterday.
He said what was paramount in the guidelines was selecting leaders who understood that the ANC's "bias towards the working class and the poor had to be meaningful --- in resolutions taken and in action".
Mr Dlamini said it was also vital to select leaders who were capable of uniting the alliance and who understood the need to consult meaningfully within the alliance.
Mr Vavi said Cosatu was developing a response to the ANC's discussion documents ahead of its policy conference in June, including its organisational renewal document.
The document, released earlier this month, described Cosatu's relationship with the ANC as "oppositional". Mr Vavi said Cosatu would take concrete decisions and would produce a report on its position next month and during its elective congress in September.
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> *From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=170646* ** ** ** -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
<<inline: BusinessDay.gif>>
