With weeks to go before the ANC national conference, Cosatu has toned down its radical rhetoric against alliance partner ANC.
After its central executive committee (CEC) meeting this week, the trade federation tabled policy proposals about socio-economic matters that it believes the ANC should consider at the conference.The policy proposals are noticeably different from the loud slogans about recapturing the ANC and changing its leadership face, which Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi voiced at the beginning of this year.
Vavi had sworn that Cosatu would flood the ANC with its members who would remove the ‘1996 class project†leadership, which is a reference to leaders such as President Thabo Mbeki and Trevor Manuel, who were at the forefront of the macro-economic growth strategy (Gear) pursued by government since 1996.
Cosatu has called for policy discussions, instead of the succession issue, to be the priority at the conference.
However, Cosatu has indicated that it is still lobbying to ensure that the leadership of the ANC ‘reflects its constituencyâ€.
But the Cosatu leadership is firm on its action against its president, Willie Madisha, who it has excluded from its official delegation ahead of the ANC conference.
But Madisha will still attend the conference in his ANC capacity and stands a chance of being elected to its national executive committee (NEC). Madisha has been nominated for the NEC by a lobby group that supports Mbeki.
Cosatu deputy president S’dumo Dlamini said Madisha would not form part of the delegates selected by Cosatu’s CEC to represent the party.
But Madisha said with or without Cosatu he would be at the ANC conference. ‘I respect the CEC’s decision. If they say I should not be part of the delegates, it’s fine, I’ll take that. But what I know is that I will be at the conference as a branch member of the ANC,†said Madisha.
Dlamini said Madisha was left out because of his decision to step aside from Cosatu’s activities pending the investigation against him.
The investigation against Madisha stems from the controversy about the unaccounted-for R500 000 donated to the South African Communist Party allegedly through Blade Nzimande, the general secretary of the party.
Cosatu has released the names of people it appointed to conduct a commission of inquiry into the conduct of Madisha.
They include veteran mediator and respected lawyer Charles Nupen, former Cosatu lawyer Peter Harris, advocate Nomazomatsho Memane and Sophie de Bruyn.
The commission’s terms of reference will include determining the impact of Madisha’s public statements about the R500 000 donation and if this has brought Cosatu into disrepute.
The commission will look at whether recent events surrounding the donation controversy have led to a deterioration of trust between the Cosatu national office bearers and whether there is any trust left between Madisha and the office bearers.
Since his public statements, Madisha has escaped several attempts by Cosatu and some of its affiliates, including the South African Democratic Teachers Union, to oust him.
Some of the policy proposals Cosatu has tabled for the ANC conference include that Parliament should pass legislation enabling the state to take over industries that have been abandoned or are in financial trouble.
Cosatu has repeated its call for a basic income grant, accelerated land reform and increased use of powers to expropriate land.