Highlights from our interview with Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi. Did Cosatu fail at Marikana? Will Vavi run for an ANC position? This
The ANC is dividing the working class, according to suspended Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, the Star newspaper reported on Wednesday.
"It is clear that the post-apartheid state is a capitalist state," Vavi reportedly told a Treatment Action/Section 27 leadership school on Tuesday.
"Is it not the time to build … a movement for socialism – a broad anti-capitalist front?"
Vavi also reportedly appeared to support the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa's (Numsa's) assertions that it was being targeted for political reasons.
"The corrupt and self-serving oligarchs will always see you as an irritation and will not hesitate to hire assassins to murder us," he said.
Lifestyle audits
At the weekend, South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Blade Nzimande reportedly called for lifestyle audits into Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim and his deputy Karl Cloete.
Numsa in turn called for lifestyle audits on members of the ANC's national executive committee members, including Nzimande.
The pair reportedly accused Nzimande and his deputy Jeremy Cronin of rendering the SACP into an "impotent" and "hollow monopoly-capitalist front".
Numsa has not ruled out leaving the trade union federation.
Nine of Cosatu's affiliates, including Numsa, called for a special national congress after Vavi was placed on special leave in August for having an affair with a junior employee. – Sapa