The attack on Dlamini by Cosatu's largest affiliate comes two days before the crucial special central executive committee meeting called to decide on general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi's fate, following his admission to having sex with a junior official at the federation's headquarters in Braamfontein.
Addressing journalists in Johannesburg on Monday following Numsa's special central committee, its president Cedric Gina said he took exception to Dlamini's utterances that Vavi's admission brought the federation into disrepute.
"Why call the special CEC, if you have already concluded that Vavi has brought the organisation into disrepute? The reasons and motivation for the convening of the special CEC have been contaminated and prejudged by [Dlamini]'s public utterances, long before the CEC had an opportunity to receive the matter," said Gina.
He accused Dlamini of failing to unite the organisation.
"I personally met with Sdumo [Dlamini] and said to him Cosatu might implode if things continue the way they are and that we must find solutions. I went to him [Dlamini] because I believe we are a worker-controlled organisation.
"But I was surprised when he told me I must go and engage with presidents of other affiliates. As the leader of one of the most important left formations in the country, we would have expected the Cosatu president to engage the presidents of affiliates to rescue Cosatu from imploding but instead he requested the Numsa president to convene affiliate presidents.
"This inability of the Cosatu president to abdicate his responsibilities shows that he has taken sides and is reckless with the future of Cosatu, hence Numsa's position that we cannot have confidence in such a leader."
Critical views
Numsa, the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu), the Food and Allied Workers' Union (Fawu) and part of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union believe Vavi is being targeted because of his critical views on the ANC and the government.
On the other hand, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), police union (Popcru) and the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) believe Vavi 's criticism of government and the ANC was unfair and therefore he should be removed.
Gina said Vavi's opponents should respect the decision made by Cosatu members to re-elect him as its general secretary.
"We [Numsa] had views about Dlamini prior to the Cosatu congress last year. But after he was re-elected unopposed, we accepted the decision of congress. But it would seem there are others [within Cosatu] who have not accepted that Vavi was re-elected the general secretary. He is the general secretary and he was elected unopposed. We will deal with anyone who wants to circumvent that. It looks like comrades are looking for anything that can be found to deal with Vavi," said Gina.
Numsa deputy general secretary Karl Cloete said he was concerned that Cosatu has had two voices – with Vavi saying one thing and Dlamini another.
"It is becoming very clear to us that Sdumo is not unbiased in the crisis confronting Cosatu. Instead of uniting Cosatu, he has this factional approach to issues," said Cloete.
Grievances
Dlamini refused to comment on Monday, but speaking to the Mail & Guardian last week, Dlamini rejected suggestions that he was directly involved in convincing the junior official to lodge a grievance against Vavi.
"I have not done that and I will never do that." Asked if he was prepared to forgive Vavi for having sex with a junior official in her office, Dlamini said: "No one has apologised to me because no one has done anything to me."
A senior Cosatu leader close to Dlamini told the M&G it was unlikely that the CEC would accept Vavi's apology.
"This is not about whether he apologises or not. It is about his conduct. We are leaders of a trade union organisation and are championing issues of HIV and Aids. How do you go to members in future to talk about safe sex," asked the Cosatu leader. He said his faction would push for the immediate suspension of Vavi pending the disciplinary proceedings.
"The CEC will instruct general secretaries and presidents of affiliates to convene a meeting to determine the charges against Vavi and appoint an independent person to oversee the disciplinary proceedings. The CEC has the right to suspend him and this is what will happen on Wednesday," said the Cosatu leader, who asked to remain anonymous.