By: Sipho Jack
The scars remain open very wide, I am absolutely angered by misinformation and campaigns to attack my integrity, re-elected general secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Union (SAFTU) Zwelinzima Vavi said on Thursday.
Vavi said this while addressing members of the media in Birchwood hotel in Kempton Park.
Vavi was expressing his hurt in which some of his comrades were peddling misinformation about him squandering millions of the federation’s monies.
“The scars remain open, very wide, I am absolutely angered by misinformation and campaigns to attack my integrity throughout the campaign period.
“People were even circulating information about my children taking their girlfriends to parties using the federation’s credit card,” a visibly hurt Vavi said.
On the question of whether the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will leave the federation, Vavi told the media that Numsa would never leave, adding that they have worked very hard to just walk out like that.
Vavi continued to emphasize the importance of working together as trade unionists in the country.
“We are adamant that there must be unity among all trade unions. Failure for unions to unite will result in them being disserviced and continue getting 0,5% percentages,” he said.
Vavi went on to add that Saftu’s ideal is to have cooperation among unions in which unity in action will be realised as workers will be reaching out to each other across the divides of their federations.
