Popcru in a panic about Saftu - Vavi

Johannesburg – Trade union Popcru is desperately trying to divert attention from the crisis in the tripartite alliance by making defamatory statements about Saftu leader Zwelinzima Vavi, the former Cosatu leader has said.

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) and other “sweethearts” were in a state of panic due to the arrival of SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), he told News24 on Friday.

The rival to trade union federation Cosatu elected its first leaders at a congress this weekend.

Vavi said the allegations bordered on defamation and were an attempt to divert attention from a crisis-riven alliance in general and Popcru in particular.

“Some of the allegations are new and I have never even heard about them, such as that I own a company, and so on. Some are just pure petty gossip generated from heavy drinking sessions at the Saxonwold shebeen,” he told News 24.

He challenged Popcru to lay a charge of corruption.

Lifestyle audits

The union claimed Vavi lied when he claimed he was fired from Cosatu for fighting corruption. It said Vavi, who had previously called for a lifestyle audit on politicians, should conduct one on himself. 

It challenged him to dispute that he was sacked as Cosatu’s general secretary for selling the old Cosatu House at below market value, for hiring a company of which his wife was a director and employing his daughter to provide technological services. 

Popcru said in a statement that Vavi was expelled from Cosatu for irregularly hiring his girlfriend and then having sex with her in Cosatu’s offices. Vavi apologised for the sex scandal in 2013. He was expelled in 2015.

The union said for as long as Vavi “lied” about why he left Cosatu, they would not shy away from repeating the reasons for his departure. It claimed Vavi refused to fly economy class and booked flights for friends and relatives.

“Before Mr Vavi decides to mislead the public, he should call for his own lifestyle audit,” Popcru said.