Picture: SUNDAY TIMES
Picture: SUNDAY TIMES

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PROCEEDINGS at the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (Cosatu’s) national congress were delayed on Monday, as the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) again objected to the presence of the federation’s second deputy president Zingiswa Losi.

An address by African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma had been scheduled for midday on Monday, but by 2pm congress delegates were still debating the status of Ms Losi, a matter that had also led to similar bickering during the federation’s special national congress in July.

Fawu on Monday moved to reject Ms Losi ’s credentials presented at the congress and demanded her removal as a national office bearer. After almost two hours, the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) convened a vote whereby delegates in favour of the credentials were asked to stand and those who rejected the credentials were asked to remain seated.

The tally revealed that 1,962 were in favour, 331 rejected the credentials and 187 abstained, the IEC said.

Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini said Mr Zuma had agreed to return to address the congress during the course of Monday evening.

Ms Losi has been a controversial figure since 2013 — the height of internal Cosatu battles — when she resigned from car manufacturer Ford, where she was a National Union of Metalworkers of SA shop steward.

The resignation called into question her eligibility to continue to serve in her Cosatu post as a worker leader — as she was given a shop steward position in the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union — a union that was a staunch opponent of Numsa’s.

Ms Losi’s position was one of many core issues dividing Cosatu, and it was this infighting that ultimately led to Numsa’s expulsion.

Fawu on Monday also challenged the presence of newly formed Liberated Metalworkers Union of SA, another issue raised during the federation’s special national congress in July.

Fawu general secretary Katishi Masemola moved to reject the credentials of the congress, citing rules that national office bearers must be elected shop stewards. This was seconded by the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union.

National Union of Mineworkers president Piet Matosa told the congress that Ms Losi was a member of a union in good standing.

South African Democratic Teachers Union general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said Fawu had failed to attend central executive committee meetings and credential meetings ahead of the congress.

"Why are we wanting to spend another eight hours entertaining yet another thing we don’t want to entertain," said Mr Maluleke.

Other affiliates questioned whether debating a matter dealt with at the special national congress was itself constitutional, with Fawu demanding an adherence to the constitution rather than a vote.