Chris Vick speaks to Proffessor Suttner about the political effects of the Cosatu rupture

Fear and Loathing in the ANC

by Niren Tolsi

A year after the African National Congress held its national conference in Mangaung, which returned president Jacob Zuma to its top position, The Con republishes a two-piece special that examines the Fear and Loathing in South African politics which first appeared in Rolling Stone magazine.

Shit. Why Not? If Marry-Wanna presents herself, you can’t refuse the dance.

Especially if, at that moment, the cops are gathered upwind around a police Nyala ten metres away in one of the most securitised parts of the country.

Insouciance demanded it. Even if it was kak Limpopo majat.

 December 2007. Everyone who matters in the African National Congress (ANC) is in Polokwane for the elective conference that will see Jacob Zuma rise to the party’s presidency.

The sting is in Vavi’s choice of words

History of denigrating women by those in power has been repeated by the way the trade unionist referred to a woman as a ‘girl’, says Nomboniso Gasa, Sunday Independent

Johannesburg - Despite attempts by his own opponents to find charges that stuck, ranging from allegations of his wife’s involvement in the pension affairs of Cosatu workers and his alleged involvement in the Cosatu Head Office debacle, Zwelinzima Vavi seemed to take the challenges in his stride.

COSATU: a house divided

By Benjamin Fogel, Amandla!

COSATU is in the midst of the biggest crisis in its 27-year history. This crisis has arisen from an SACP-driven attempt to oust democratically elected COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, under the guise of corruption charges. The conflict's roots are in longstanding political contradictions and ideological tensions between COSATU and its Alliance partners – the ANC and the SACP. At stake is not only the leadership of COSATU, but its political and moral direction.

COSATU's history: coming full circle

Interview with Dirk Hartford, the first head of COSATU media and editor of COSATU News in the 1980's, about the implications of the current tensions in COSATU. Amandla!

Amandla!: What do you make of what is happening in COSATU now with the allegations against its General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi ?

DH: I think what we are seeing is a direct result of the decisive victory of the Zuma-SACP faction at the December ANC Congress in Mangaung. The SACP essentially triumphed at Mangaung, and now has more people in the ANC's NEC, government and Cabinet than ever before. They are on the offensive to take out any significant opposing voices in the Alliance. Julius Malema, the ANCYL NEC, and the Limpopo NEC are already history. Now they are coming for the biggest thorn in their sides, which has always been Vavi and the independent trade union or worker views that he reflects.

Zwelinzima Vavi Address

Dialogues Webcast: Vavi, Mashinini, Pithouse

Video streaming by Ustream Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi will join trade union stalwart and gender activist Emma Mashinini, whose book Strikes Have Followed Me All My Life has just been republished, to talk about trade unions, democracy and justice. They will be in conversation with Richard Pithouse, commentator, academic and activist.

Zwelinzima Vavi`s input to the Daily Dispatch/Fort Hare Dialogues, 5 September 2012

Thank you very much to the Daily Dispatch and University of Fort Hare for inviting me to speak at this dialogue.

It is a particular honour to be able, for the second time this year, to join my comrade of so many years, Emma Mashinini, one of the living legends of our revolutionary workers' movement, and to have the opportunity once again to urge everyone to read her excellent book - Strikes have followed me all my Life.

Let me also greet Richard Pithouse, one of our most progressive academics who has never shied away from confronting some of the harsh realities of capitalism in South Africa.