Vavi To Address Congress On Politics
Staff Writer | Monday November 30, 2015 15:51
His former union, a strong ANC ally, however has in its fold affiliates that are not political allies of any political Party, such as SA Municipal Workers’ Union(which refused to campaign for the ANC), while another affiliate SASBO is said to have a clause in its constitution that wont allow it to support any political party..
Although Vavi was fired from COSATU early in the year, he was a big agenda item at the COSATU congress that ended last week, as his expulsion was a hotly debated subject, leading to toyi-toyis, delay of Zuma’s address by two hours, as other COSATU delegates fought to over-turn Vavi and his union, NUMSA’s expulsion.
At the end the overwhelming majority voted in favour of Vavi and NUMSA’s expulsion from the COSATU. Vavi has told the media in his homeland that his expulsion was politically orchestrated.
He will be sharing his experiences with the BOPEU Congress at a time when there is debate among the trade unionists in Botswana on the subject of Party affiliation. BOPEU during the run up to the 2014 General Elections made it clear that they were not endorsing any political party as a member of BOFEPUSU, while their fellow trade unions endorsed the united opposition..
Meanwhile the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour Pearl Matome is also scheduled to address the congress on the various constitutional amendments envisaged by government.
As a trade union, BOPEU is worried by envisaged amendments to the Trade Unions Act, Employers Organisations Act, Employment Act, and the Public Servants Act, and they would like the Ministry to tell the Congress what these acts mean and what motivated the envisaged changes. Minister Edwin Batshu who was invited to come and speak, sent his P.S instead.
The Leader of Opposition Duma Boko has also been invited to speak to the theme of the congress as well as addressing the congress on alternative ideas.