Foes+set+for+re-election,+Daniels,+Monare,+The+Star

Saturday Star, September 16, 2006 //Edition 1//
=Foes set for re-election=


 * //Cosatu's leadership crisis is unlikely to be resolved at the coming congress//**


 * Linda Daniels and Moshoeshoe Monare**

The differences between the former friends and comrades culminated in allegations of womanising, misappropriation of funds, assassinations and spying.

At the centre of the fallout is a loyalty split regarding the ANC succession battle. Vavi is a former deputy president Jacob Zuma diehard, while Madisha is accused of having drifted towards President Thabo Mbeki.

Ironically, Madisha trounced Vusi Nhlapo for the position of Cosatu president in 2000 because the latter was seen to be closer to Mbeki.

The Vavi-Madisha rift is so open that Vavi has been known to arrive at congresses of affiliates unannounced, to Madisha's embarrassment.

At the SA Democratic Teachers Union [Sadtu] congress, shortly after Madisha told delegates there was no crisis, and suggested he was unfairly blamed for the tiff, Vavi made a grand Winnie Mandela-type entrance to rapturous applause. He hugged all, including an uncomfortable Madisha.

Vavi, with his imposing form, would not sit down, shaking his clenched fist and cheering on the crowd - to the delegates' amusement.

It took his friend, Sadtu's secretary general Thulas Nxesi, to calm everyone down. He quipped: "Zweli, this is a Sadtu congress, my congress, so sit down."

On the second day of the congress, Vavi and SA Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande waited for Zuma outside the venue and left with him after his speech, while Madisha stayed in the hall.

There was more drama this week at the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union [Satawu] meeting at which Madisha was the only Cosatu senior leader invited to speak.

However, before Madisha arrived, the charming Vavi shook hands with delegates, briefed journalists and conducted a TV interview.

When a journalist called Madisha to ask where he was, he seemed surprised that Vavi was already there.

When Zuma arrived, it was Vavi and former Limpopo Premier, Ngoako Ramathlodi [another Zuma sympathiser], who led the welcoming committee while Madisha cut a lonely figure in the hall.

Vavi charismatically introduced Zuma to the cheering delegates, saying he was smelling victory - a reference to speculations that Zuma's corruption case could be thrown out of court.

Satawu and Sadtu are Madisha's constituencies, raising speculation, according to a senior Cosatu leader, that Vavi is trying to prop up his own popularity at his rival's base.

Madisha is said to be supported by nine unions including: Sadtu; Satawu; the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union; the Communication Workers Union; the National Union of Metalworkers of SA [Numsa]; the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union; the SA Democratic Nurses' Union; SA Municipal Workers Union; and the Food and Allied Workers Union.

Sadtu is the second biggest union in Cosatu, with 300 of the 2 400 voting delegates. Numsa is also in the top five affiliates with more than 216 000 members.

Sadtu's loyalty to Madisha has much to do with his teaching roots. Sadtu pays his house, car and stipends and he draws his salary from the Education Department by virtue of being the Sadtu president.

The reason behind Numsa's nomination for Madisha, according to his critics, is the fact that he and Silumko Nondwango, Numsa's general secretary, have a common enemy - Vavi.

However, the National Union of Mineworkers [NUM], the biggest affiliate with 350 voting delegates, is a potential kingmaker.

It is understood that NUM has asked Numsa, in what could be described as cut-throat horse-trading, to drop Madisha in exchange for the mineworkers' support for former Numsa member - Cosatu Eastern Cape chairperson Goodman Wayile.

The other candidates likely to challenge Madisha are Crosby Moni, NUM's deputy president, and Cosatu KwaZulu-Natal chair Sdumo Dlamini.

But they are considered unknowns in the federation, so Madisha is likely to be re-elected.

Without the support of NUM and the National, Education, Health and Allied Workers Union, which has indicated it will support the current leadership, Madisha will have to rely on Numsa, Sadtu and smaller unions to win with a considerable margin.

The popular Vavi is expected to be re-elected unopposed. He is believed to have been nominated by almost all the unions, and no affiliate has so far fielded a challenger except Numsa, which initially persuaded Nondwango to contest. He later pulled out.

Senior researcher at the Centre for Policy Studies Ebrahim Fakir believes 60% or 70% of the leadership would return to their positions, but said the leadership struggle in the labour federation would be bruising.


 * From: http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3440290**

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