Congress of South African Trade Unions president Sdumo Dlamini says a leadership stampede has led to divisions within the federation that have distracted unions from their key goals.
Dlamini said divisions had weakened union leaders and distracted their focus from key programmes for the poor, the Sowetan newspaper reported.
“My observation is that there is a leadership stampede among us about who must come out as a socialist victory,” he reportedly said at the opening of the Cosatu central executive committee meeting in Johannesburg on Monday.
“Within the context we undermine each other, sidestep each other, where possible drag each other down and claim our independence even at the expense of the very revolution we are pursuing.”
Dlamini pointed out at the meeting attended by leaders of its 22 affiliates, that they last saw the masses when they were elected.
He said there was a dangerous increase in the exclusive focus on an individual at the expense of recognising the role of the masses.
Cosatu had been battling its own succession contest with its secretary-general, Zwelinzima Vavi, announcing he would not stand for re-election in 2012, but later he decided he would let members decide.
Dlamini reminded leaders that they were put in their positions to fight for the masses as a united front.
“Comrades, let’s do the basic things first and one of those is to respect each other as leaders, confront each other without being vindictive, support each other and develop each other where we have weaknesses,” he was quoted as saying. — Sapa