Rand Daily Mail.png Who's really paying Zwelinzima Vavi's salary? George Matlala, Rand Daily Mail, Johannesburg, 20 April 2016 Former COSATU boss Zwelinzima Vavi insisted on Tuesday that his salary is being paid by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA and no one else. The denial came after disgruntled members of COSATU affiliate, the Food and Allied Workers Union, circulated a document among the federation's affiliates in which they claim that they were against their union paying Vavi's salary. The members are also up in arms over FAWU's refusal to invite the ANC, COSATU and the SACP to its forthcoming congress in July. ZV hands up.jpg On May 1, Vavi will be leading the formation of a new trade union federation to rival COSATU. But disgruntled members of FAWU, which has been steadfast in its support for Vavi, are crying foul over support for Vavi. FAWU is one of the affiliates that have backed Vavi in his battle with COSATU president Sdumo Dlamini, and it is expected that some of its members will join the new federation. "FAWU national office bearers are mobilising FAWU members to take our union out of COSATU to join a new federation formed by Zwelinzima Vavi . Let us rise and defend our union from being stolen away into a new and divisive federation," the members said in the document. R50 000 "...FAWU leaders are part of that group which agreed to pay more than R50 000 monthly salary and buy other office furniture to the expelled Zwelinzima Vavi as part of the programme to weaken and destroy COSATU." The members claim that it would be the first time that FAWU does not invite the ANC, COSATU and SACP to a congress. Vavi dismissed the allegations that FAWU contributed towards his salary. "That is rubbish. The space I am in [office] is NUMSA's; the salary I am earning is [paid by] NUMSA," he said, adding that there was a malicious campaign to discredit FAWU leaders towards their conference. NUMSA-related Vavi is heading the steering committee of unions that will form a new federation on Worker's Day from office space at NUMSA's Joburg office. FAWU general secretary Katishi Masemola on Tuesday said they were aware of the document being circulated and that they would respond to it within the structures of the union. He said FAWU only contributed to the activities of the nine COSATU unions which supported Vavi. "There is no money we are contributing to Vavi's salary. What I know is that the salary comes from NUMSA-related activities," he said. Masemola said the decision not to invite the ANC, SACP and COSATU to their congress was taken by their national executive committee in February. This article first appeared in Sowetan From: http://www.rdm.co.za/politics/2016/04/20/who-s-really-paying-zwelinzima-vavi -s-salary -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "YCLSA Discussion Forum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
