Dlamini decries Vavi's threatened lawsuit Natasha Marrian, Business Day, Johannesburg, 21 August 2013 It was "unfortunate" for an organisation to have to go to court to defend its decisions, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) president Sdumo Dlamini said on Tuesday. He said threatened legal action by suspended general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi posed a "difficult moment" for the federation. Also on Tuesday, the powerful National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union became the first Cosatu affiliate to come out in support of the decision to suspend Mr Vavi. It said it hoped the federation dealt with the matter in a way that protected its "standing" and its "commitment to gender struggles" - a clear reference to the sexual indiscretion that may yet lead to Mr Vavi's downfall. Mr Dlamini spoke out for the first time on Tuesday after Mr Vavi announced he would challenge Cosatu's decision to suspend him after his admission of an affair with a 26-year-old employee. It was "very wrong" to use courts to "engage" with any organisation that was exercising its right to instil discipline, he said. Insisting he was not referring to Mr Vavi, Mr Dlamini said there were "internal platforms". Mr Dlamini was drawn into the centre of Mr Vavi's battle for political survival on Friday when the suspended general secretary accused Mr Dlamini of distributing a so-called "intelligence report" aimed at discrediting him. Mr Dlamini declined to respond to the allegations, asking journalists: "Who distributed the report to you?" On members opting to settle their political grievances in court, he had learnt to be careful as there was always a risk of being "taken to court even when you say the right thing", Mr Dlamini said at Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union 's political school in Benoni. "I won't be free to speak my mind about Cosatu positions without the risk of going to court. If I have to go to court to defend the positions of the organisation, it's fine, it's okay, but it's very unfortunate." Mr Dlamini made his views clear about the prospect of defending the federation's decision, saying resorting to legal action meant that one's loyalty was not with the organisation. "When you go to court, who are you talking to? Are you talking to us here? "Or are you talking to people outside? If your loyalty is with the organisation then you will address the organisation," Mr Dlamini said. "As an individual, you still have rights, but remember as you exercise (them, they ) should not be in conflict with discipline. You should rely more on internal processes. "Courts are not democratic, they follow the law, the law is not democratic ... it concludes a debate legally, rather than democratically." Mr Dlamini said the "difficult moment" the trade union federation was facing would pass, but not without casualties. "When the time passes, there shall be more bruised, some may not be able to cross, but when they fall by the way, they will say to us: 'Carry on fighting.'" He chastised those affiliates that announced the federations's decisions before it did. Mr Vavi's staunchest ally, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), confirmed his suspension ahead of the official announcement. Mr Dlamini said no affiliate should elevate itself above the trade union federation as Cosatu was not about an individual. "It may be made up of workers and leaders individually by their nature, but Cosatu is an organisation. Cosatu is above us all." Those talking about a possible Cosatu split should rather spend their time building up the organisation. "Why spend time on fear? Why spend time speculating? " Mr Dlamini asked. Numsa and the Food and Allied Workers Union are said to be consulting lawyers in a bid to challenge the constitutionality of the meeting that suspended Mr Vavi. Mr Dlamini said these concerns were at no point raised during the meeting itself. Cosatu had not received notice of legal action from Mr Vavi's legal team or supporters. From: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/labour/2013/08/21/dlamini-decries-vavis-thr eatened-lawsuit -- -- 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.
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