By Amy Musgrave
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) is likely to decide on Monday where it will hold its elective congress following its collapse last month.
Its central executive committee will meet again to decide on the matter following disagreements over the venue. According to insiders, there are three options, including Birchwood in Ekurhuleni and Nasrec near Soweto.
The September congress was at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, however, it is unavailable for the new dates – 12-15 October.
A task team was set up to make recommendations on the date and venue. One of the concerns is the cost of the reconvened meeting. Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi told reporters in September that the federation had spent around R12 million on the congress.
The first meeting, set down for 14-17 September, was adjourned on the night of the second day after the federation’s 16 affiliates failed to reach a quorum within the three hours stipulated by its constitution.
The reason for this was that seven of them refused to submit their credential documents because it was unclear if Cosatu first deputy president Mike Shingange would be able to participate in Cosatu’s elections.
This was after his union, Nehawu, put him on provisional suspension on the eve of the congress. He is also the president of Nehawu.
While Shingange is still on provisional suspension, the Labour Court ruled earlier that he could participate in the elections.
Both Shingange and Nehawu have not publicly provided details for the suspension.
Last month, Cosatu leaders poured cold water over claims that political interference led to the congress collapsing, saying it had to be adjourned to avoid further litigation.
“It is difficult for us to speculate if it was driven by politics… We did not get to the political report … or the state of the alliance,” Losi said.
It was the first time in its history that Cosatu failed to convene its national congress.
The meeting did not get to nominations for Cosatu’s top six leaders. Nor was the federation able to pronounce on whether it would back the ANC or the SACP in November’s local government elections.
According to Cosatu’s constitution, the federation must hold its next congress within a month of the postponement. It also provides that a quorum will be deemed to have been reached at the second meeting, regardless of how many unions are represented.
Cosatu leaders have called for unity, warning that there are no winners when the federation is divided.
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