Apart from the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), organisations and unions across the tripartite alliance are trying to steer clear from commenting on the sex scandal which Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi is embroiled in. While it is fodder for his enemies in the federation and the alliance, sexual indiscretions are commonplace among political leaders. His detractors are therefore careful not be too publicly gleeful, lest their own closets get emptied publicly as a result. By engaging in sexual intercourse with a subordinate at Cosatu, Vavi has surrendered his destiny to the rest of the federation's leadership, and left himself politically vulnerable and exposed. Without consideration of all the extenuating circumstances, the imbalance in power relations counts against him and he will thus stand accused of bringing Cosatu into disrepute. Even on his version of events, this aspect will not be easy for him to counter.It is a messy saga with two families caught in the eye of the storm with counter allegations of rape and extortion.Vavi has admitted to having had sexual intercourse outside his marriage and apologised for that.
There is now an avalanche of information in the media with both sides trying to substantiate their version of events. Apart from her written complaint to Cosatu, the accuser gave an account in the Sunday Times of her relationship with Vavi, how she came to be hired by him outside normal employment procedures and the course of events on January 25, 2013, when the sex took place. Vavi has issued a public statement refuting the rape allegation, along with his detailed response to Cosatu on the rape complaint. He has also publicised 140 of the over 370 text messages exchanged between him and the woman - 61 of which were sent on the day they had intercourse - as well as her letter demanding R2 million for her silence and the letter from Vavi's lawyer informing the accuser that her actions amounted to blackmail.The accusations come at a time when Vavi is fighting for political survival with a significant lobby within Cosatu, backed by senior leaders in the ANC and SACP, determined to dislodge him from his position as general secretary and thus gag him from sustained criticism of the ANC government. Vavi is still under investigation by Cosatu in relation to the sale of the federation's old building and purchase of the new headquarters, as well as accusations of political disloyalty.
