The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) slammed media reports on Friday, which said the federation had turned on rape accused Jacob Zuma.
”Cosatu has not made a ‘dramatic change of tone’, or ‘turned on’ the deputy president of the African National Congress, as alleged in the article,” said secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi.
”There is no change in our position. The federation has always said that in relation to the rape trial the law must take its course, and that remains our view.”
A front-page story in a daily newspaper on Friday had as its headline: ”Cosatu turns on JZ”.
Vavi said journalists had only taken into account his comment that Zuma should pay if he is found guilty, and ignored calls that the media accept a possible not-guilty verdict.
The report quoted Vavi as saying: ”In this particular case we say justice must take its course. If he is guilty, unfortunately he has to pay for that. If he is not guilty, he must go back to his life, back to his positions.”
Repeating this sentiment, Vavi said he was merely pointing to some of the consequences which would inevitably follow a guilty verdict, if that were the outcome of the trial.
The story read in part: ”He [Vavi] tacitly hinted that support for Zuma was waning within the labour movement.” It also said the union had made an ”about-turn” on its view of Zuma as a friend of the workers.
Vavi said that while he had been correctly quoted, his statements were in response to suggestions that Cosatu supported Jacob Zuma on the basis that he was a ”left-wing socialist on whom we would depend to take forward our struggles”.
Vavi said he merely sought to clarify that this was not necessarily the case.
”Cosatu has never opportunistically supported Jacob Zuma because he is a champion or messiah who would deliver left policies to workers and the poor,” Vavi said.
He said the federation had come to Zuma’s defence as a matter of principle.
”We could not allow a person with his stature to be treated in the manner that he has been treated.”
Vavi said Cosatu would be guided by its historic position on the question of rape, which it views in the most serious light.
Cosatu urged everyone, in particular the media, to respect the verdict of the judge. — Sapa