Cosatu General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and ANC General Secretary Gwede Mantashe. The trade union federation and the ruling party, along with the SACP, have maintained an alliance since the independence of the Republic of South Africa in 1994., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
National & Provincial
Aug 30 2013 9:00PM
We are not scapegoats: Mantashe
Qaanitah Hunter
New Age, South Africa
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe says he will not be used as a "scapegoat" for divisions that has pitted the National Union of Metal Workers SA (Numsa) against trade union federation Cosatu.
This comes after Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim isolated Mantashe along with Sacp general secretary Blade Nzimande for being behind attempts to divide Cosatu.
"A divided Cosatu is to the ANC's disadvantage. Only a fool will want to divide Cosatu," Mantashe said.
He refuted further claims made by Numsa that his utterances fulled divisions in the alliance.
"When they line up behind (Cosatu general secretary Zwelenzima) Vavi and (Cosatu President Sdumo) Dlamini then they are creating a cult personality. We can't have this," Mantashe said.
Numsa had boycotted the Economic Alliance Summit which started on Friday citing lack of preparedness.
It has openly maintained its allegiance behind Vavi who has been suspended for sexual misconduct.
"Nobody must worship personalities. It is a danger to our movement," Mantashe said.
He said he was not concerned about Numsa's absence at the summit because it was a meeting between the alliance not between individual affiliated unions.
The summit is due to continue until Sunday with alliance members set to debate the National Development Plan, macroeconomic policies- among other aconomic related policies.
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