Congress of South African Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi’s allegations of corruption against a group of African National Congress leaders was “reminiscent of grandstanding”, the ruling party said on Saturday.
“Vavi’s failure to bring this weighty matter to the attention of the ANC and even his failure to report this matter to the law enforcement authorities, amounts to an insult to the standing and image of the ANC, its leadership and membership,” said ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu in a statement on Saturday.
Lifestyle audits
The war of words between the ruling party and its alliance partner continued as Vavi, speaking in Durban, said the ANC expected Cosatu to be its “lapdog”.
One of the thorny issues the union had raised was the implementation of lifestyle audits for ministers and members of Parliament.
Vavi said the union federation believed that the issue of lifestyle audits was crucial in the fight against corruption in the public sector.
“We believe that the reason why they are rejecting it is because there are too many people who are involved in this practice,” he said.
Mthembu wants Vavi to prove the his allegations of corruption he was making against ANC leaders.
” … Vavi speaks with conviction that ‘there is a tiny minority in the ANC leadership and membership which is corrupt and who use the ANC to enrich themselves’.”
“To this end, Comrade Vavi has not raised this matter with the ANC in any of the fora of engagements we have and he has not provided any evidence of such allegations.”
He said the ANC expected Vavi, as a leader of the alliance, to bring the matter to the party or present it with a list of corrupt individuals.
“Together, we would have walked and marched to the nearest police station to ensure that such individuals are arrested.
“Comrade Vavi would have assisted the ANC and government to root out the scourge of corruption in the country.”
The ANC on Friday lambasted Cosatu for saying that a small faction of ANC leadership was attacking the party’s secretary general Gwede Mantashe.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union — a Cosatu affiiliate — said there were also plans by ANC elements to oust its president, Jacob Zuma.
Mthembu dismissed Cosatu’s comments as “untrue, devious and disingenuous”.
Speaking during a South African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union meeting in Durban, Vavi said Cosatu did not need the ANC’s permission to articulate its positions.
“Since when must Cosatu not call press conferences? Apparently we should go to Luthuli House [the ANC’s headquarters] quietly whenever we want to say something,” he said.
He said it was unfair for the ANC to liken Cosatu to an opposition party.
Vavi said it was true that certain people in the ANC had long mobilised for certain people to be removed from their positions.
He said ANC Youth League leaders had also publicly called for certain leaders to be removed from their positions.
The youth league leaders were recently quoted saying they would like Mantashe to be replaced by Deputy Police Minister Fikile Mbalula, who is also a former youth league leader. – Sapa