Only the position of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) president is to be contested in its leadership election, the union federation’s congress in Midrand heard on Wednesday.
Willie Madisha, who presently holds that office, will be pitted against Zanoxolo Wayile, Cosatu’s Eastern Cape chairperson and a National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) member, the Electoral Institute of South Africa said.
Current general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi was nominated unopposed for his position.
A Numsa delegate told the congress that Wayile had been mandated only to stand for the vacant position of first deputy president, not for president.
”The comrade is standing on his own without the blessing of the metalworkers’ union,” the delegate said, to the booing of others.
Another delegate objected, saying: ”We are not electing a Numsa president, we are electing a Cosatu president.”
National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) president Noluthando Sibiya told the congress that the Cosatu constitution did not prevent Wayile from standing without his union’s backing and called for unity.
”We cannot be divided as Numsa seeks to do,” she said.
Sdumo Dlamini, Cosatu’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary, was nominated for the vacant position of first deputy president.
The incumbents for the other positions were all re-nominated: Violet Seboni for second deputy president, treasurer Alinah Rantsolase and deputy general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali.
The election will be held on Thursday, the final day of the congress. — Sapa