Proceedings at the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) national congress were briefly interrupted on Tuesday as labour federation members sang liberation songs to welcome Deputy President Jacob Zuma to the meeting in Midrand.
The ululating and cheering members chanted slogans supporting Zuma while some walked up to the podium to greet the deputy president.
Once again delegates sang a song denouncing National Directorate of Public Prosecutions head Bulelani Ngcuka.
”Ngcuka uvulela impi, ubiza umlo [Ngcuka, you are calling for war],” sang the group outside the entrance of the congress venue.
”Wena ulawula ama Scorpions sitshele ukuthi uZuma wethu wenzeni [Head of the Scorpions, tell us what our leader has done]?”
Ngcuka and Zuma have been at loggerheads ever since the elite detective unit announced it was investigating Zuma on bribery allegations related to the controversial arms deal.
At the four-day congress, which started on Monday, Cosatu is expected to back Zuma on the arms deal investigation and bribery allegations.
Shortly before Zuma’s arrival, President Thabo Mbeki shot down media reports that he had snubbed the eighth Cosatu congress, saying there were elements bent on causing friction with the tripartite alliance.
”It was reported that I had snubbed the congress and we talked about what does snub mean,” he told delegates.
”When we were discussing this newspaper report, we concluded that they say Cosatu is not concerned if other Africans die as long as their commitments are met. This is the same labour federation that assisted the African National Congress to defeat apartheid to ensure no other African dies in this country,” he said.
On Monday, the Sowetan daily newspaper reported that Mbeki, accompanied by Zuma, snubbed Cosatu by choosing to attend urgent Burundi peace talks in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Speaking off the cuff, Mbeki said he went to Burundi after the president of that country called him on Friday insisting he attend the peace negotiations.
”We all know over 300 000 Burundians died as the result of their civil war and this is wrong. Burundians are depending on us South Africans to help them ensure no other citizen dies in their country,” Mbeki said.
The president said he communicated the Burundi president’s request to ANC senior officials who passed the message on to Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi during the weekend. — Sapa