New Cosatu president appointed

The Congress of South African Trade Unions on Wednesday elected S’dumo Dlamini to take over as president after the sacking of its embattled president, Willie Madisha.

This was announced by Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi at a press briefing after the union’s three-day central executive committee meeting in Johannesburg.

Ousted Cosatu president Madisha, said to be a close ally of President Thabo Mbeki, was axed in February. This was shortly after Jacob Zuma was elected president of the African National Congress in Polokwane in December last year.

Madisha’s exit came after Malawian businessman Charles Modise claimed to have made a R500 000 donation to the South African Communist Party (SACP).

He said he gave the money, in black plastic bags, to Madisha, who in turn said he handed the cash to SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande. The latter said he never received it.—Sapa