Court trend worrisome: Dlamini
SAPA, The New Age, Johannesburg, 21 August 2013
The trend of unionists taking matters to court instead of engaging in
internal processes was worrisome, Congress of SA Trade Unions president
Sdumo Dlamini said on Tuesday.
"It is a worrisome factor...but if you are going to run your organisation
through courts, make decisions through courts, it is a worrisome factor," he
told reporters after speaking at Popcru's National Political School
conference in Benoni.
Dlamini said at the conference there were two problems within Cosatu at the
moment -- people using the media, and the courts, to engage with the
federation.
Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi was put on special leave last week
pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing relating to an affair he had
with a junior Cosatu employee.
Last month, the employee accused Vavi of rape. He admitted to having a
consensual affair with her. The woman subsequently withdrew a sexual
harassment complaint against him.
On Friday, Vavi vowed to challenge his suspension from the trade union
federation.
Dlamini said he was not aware of Cosatu receiving court papers from Vavi's
legal representatives and that he was not referring to Vavi when he spoke of
people going to the courts to engage with the federation.
"I wasn't referring to Cosatu's GS (general secretary) when referring to
courts," he said.
Dlamini said he could not comment on the Food and Allied Workers Union
issuing a statement on Monday calling for his removal.
"[It's] very impossible to comment on what I hear the media say," he said.
He said a meeting would be held on Monday regarding the formal process of
the investigation into the allegations against Vavi, and the disciplinary
hearing to follow.
"As things stand now, we have this internal process. It is a process that
has been thought thoroughly through," Dlamini said.
The National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) said in a
statement on Tuesday that following a special meeting of its national
executive committee, they supported Cosatu's decision to place Vavi on
special leave.
"We also agree with the decision to conduct a full investigation into the
allegations and also appoint an independent person to chair the disciplinary
hearings," Nehawu said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Dlamini told the conference in Benoni that Cosatu did
not consist of only one affiliate.
"We do not want to spend time speculating whether Cosatu would split or
not," he said in Benoni.
It was more important to continue to build the organisation.
"We are not working to divide or split. Why do you spend time on a fear? Why
don't you spend time building Cosatu?" Dlamini said.
"The federation is going through a difficult moment. It will pass. It will
pass," said Dlamini.
- Sapa
From:
http://www.thenewage.co.za/105036-1007-53-Court_trend_worrisome_Dlamini
--
--
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] .
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"YCLSA Discussion Forum" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
<<image001.jpg>>
