ANC-Cosatu spat hots up

The ANC said Cosatu was reaping the consequences of jumping into bed with “every Tom, Dick and Harry”.

Its remarks came on Wednesday as civil society organisations accused some ANC leaders of being corrupt and defended Cosatu for organising a civil society conference last week without inviting its alliance partner.

The ANC also threatened legal action against Section 27 executive director Mark Heywood for making allegations against its national working committee leaders “which bordered on defamation”.

Party spokesman Jackson Mthembu said the ANC would recommend legal action to the leaders named by Heywood at a press conference in Joburg on Wednesday.

Heywood said ANC national working committee members such as convicted fraudster Tony Yengeni, recently axed minister Siphiwe Nyanda and ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema had been the focus of serious allegations and speculated that leaders like these were behind the committee’s attack on last week’s civil society conference, organised by Cosatu and NGOs.

About 300 delegates from NGOs and trade unions attending last week’s conference in Boksburg spoke about problems in health and education as well as corruption, while Cosatu has also mooted plans to establish a “corruption watch” with the help of civil society organisations.

Mthembu said the ANC “noted with concern” statements from these organisations.

No date has been set for a meeting between the ANC and Cosatu to thrash out this issue, but Mthembu said it was due to happen “soon”.

Meanwhile, Cosatu’s biggest affiliate, the National Union of Mineworkers, has come out in support of Cosatu, while the labour federation’s Free State leadership also on day issued a statement in support.

Vavi on Tuesday called the ANC “paranoid” for its attack, while Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said Cosatu was still “fully committed” to the existence of the ruling alliance. - Political Bureau