A fierce power struggle is raging in the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the run-up to next week’s union congress, which will elect new leaders.
As the Congress of South African Trade Unions’s (Cosatu) second-largest affiliate, with more than 230 000 members, the Sadtu gathering will have a large impact on Cosatu’s ninth national congress next month.
The crucial position of Sadtu general secretary, held by Thulas Nxesi since 1994, will be contested. Competing with Nxesi will be his current deputy, Solly Mabusela.
Sadtu has yet to finalise the nominations list, but the Mail & Guardian understands that a growing number of members favour a regime change. Six provincial structures — Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North West, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal — are said to be pushing for Mabusela, who hails from Limpopo and is close to Cosatu and Sadtu president Willie Madisha.
A senior Sadtu leader, who asked to remain anonymous, said: ”You can’t have one person leading the same organisation for more than 10 years. Conditions have changed.”
Thabo Magabane, Sadtu’s Limpopo chairperson, this week confirmed that a number of provinces consider Mabusela a suitable candidate.
It is understood that only the Eastern Cape is likely to throw its support behind Nxesi. The Northern Cape and Western Cape are said to be divided.
Apart from concerns that he has outlived his usefulness, Nxesi is been criticised for his leadership style and mismanagement. He is alleged to have authorised a R300 000 loan to the South African Communist Party, which the party has failed to return and which Sadtu has been forced to write off.
And his public support for the African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma as the country’s next president appears to have angered some members.
Attempts to get Nxesi’s comment were unsuccessful, but indications are that he will be standing. Mabusela said he would be available if he was nominated.
”Every leader is good, but the material conditions of a particular time determine the kind of leadership the organisation needs,” said Mabusela.
However, Mabusela’s closeness to Madisha could damage him in some circles. In the light of the battle between Madisha and Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, some unionists — including Nxesi — are said to feel Madisha is being used by the ANC leadership to weaken certain Cosatu leaders.
Meanwhile, the M&G has learned that presidents and secretary generals of all Cosatu affiliates met in Johannesburg on Thursday in a bid to defuse tensions in the federation before its congress next month. These revolve around Zuma and the Vavi-Madisha battle.