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Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has expressed misgivings about what he views as a ploy against the federation by its biggest affiliate by trying to remove its top leaders.
This comes as the National Union of Metalworkers Union of SA (Numsa) is embroiled in a legal battle with Saftu president Ruth Ntlokotse, whom it expelled as a member earlier this month as it accused her of defying directives of the union regarding its leadership preference for Saftu during the federation's congress last year, among other charges.
Numsa also found Ntlokotse guilty of having failed to return its property, including a car, a laptop and a cellphone after she did not make a comeback as its second deputy president in its last national congress.
She was also found guilty of defining herself outside the collective leadership of the union after she penned a letter to the union's national office bearers, questioning the running of Numsa's investment companies, and allegedly leaking the letter to the media.
Vavi, who is also facing a process of removal by Numsa from his position, said the push against Ntlokotse could not be seen outside the push against him and Saftu. He said:
READ: Numsa slams expelled Saftu president over 'pack of lies' about union leadership
While Vavi, who is accused of having defined himself outside and working against the union by Numsa, was technically immune from removal from his position as he was a full-time officer bearer, Ntlokotse's expulsion from the union meant that she would have to be withdrawn from the federation as she was a worker leader and elected on the basis of her continued membership to her union.
Speaking to City Press, Ntlokotse said she was hopeful that the meeting with Numsa's central committee, scheduled for July, would be impartial as she accused Irvin Jim and his allies of being hell-bent on purging those who held their own views on the affairs of the union and its relationship with Saftu. She added:
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Ntlokotse said Numsa's suspension of over 50 members last year for allegedly holding a different view was not different from the push to get rid of her.
"Those workers and shop stewards were demanding accountability in relation to the corruption we see happening in the union. I would challenge Jim and other officials in a meeting. Jim doesn't like people to be independent. He will vilify you and ask who you think you are, and he never accepted me being in Saftu."
She mentioned her suspension just a week before Numsa's national elective congress last year was reason enough to raise a red flag about Jim's bid to maintain control of the industrial union at all costs. She stated:
Vavi said while the federation remained fully behind Ntlokotse, it was awaiting her appeal process to conclude before it took a position based on its implications.
In her appeal letter, through her lawyers, Ntlokotse said accusations that she had leaked her communique to the Numsa leadership over its running of investment companies were mere speculation.
She also contended that regarding failure to return Numsa's property, she could not be found guilty of misconduct as there was no policy setting the standard on the issue in the union.
Regarding her decision to contest for Saftu presidency, Ntlokotse said she was within her right to contest after being nominated for the position, even as Numsa preferred its first deputy president, Mac Chavalala, who held the position before being pushed out after being part of those who tried to remove Vavi.
READ: Ntlokotse’s contempt application against Numsa dismissed
"The essence of the members' contention on this charge is that it does not misconduct to participate in the activities of a trade union, more particularly an elective conference. This is not only a right afforded to a member of the union's constitution but it is also contained in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. More importantly, the charge and finding infringe upon the members' right to freedom of association," Ntlokotse's appeal letter read.
Ntlokotse said she would remain in her position as Saftu president until her appeal process was finalised, adding that she would head to the courts if Numsa's central committee upheld her expulsion.
In a separate process, Ntlokotse was also fighting with the union before the Labour Court where, among others, she was seeking to nullify Numsa's 2022 national congress.
