In a statement‚ the union federation saying he had been “dismissed as the General Secretary of COSATU with immediate effect”.
Cosatu’s central executive committee said it had instructed Vavi to “return all the property of the federation with immediate effect of this resolution being communicated to him” and that he must “henceforth stop speaking on behalf of the federation as he is no longer the General Secretary of Cosatu”.
Vavi would not be given access to office unless he did so in consultation with national office-bearers.
In a step to suppress dissent‚ the federation added that “no structure of the federation shall be allowed to undermine this decision. This includes inviting him or creating platforms for him to address members affiliated to COSATU unions”.
The federation’s provincial secretaries were banned from taking “instructions” from Vavi and “all units of Cosatu are instructed to henceforth stop using our media platform or any COSATU platforms to profile comrade Zwelinzima Vavi”.
A special national congress would take place in July to debate “the failure and refusal of the general Secretary to perform his duties and carry out his responsibililies”.
“He has in the process behaved in a manner which placed him above the organisation ‚ as an untouchable leader. He treated the organisation as his own ‚ including the the COSATU leadership collective and the entire membership as his inferior subjects.
“No individual leader is above Cosatu as an organisation and its constitution.”
