Thursday, February 28, 2008

COSATU president Willie Madisha axed

By Anele Siwa
28 February 2008

On Wednesday morning Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) released its president, Willie Madisha from his duties, for bringing the union federation into disrepute.

Madisha was last year suspended following his claim that he handed R500 000 to South African Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande, a claim that Nzimande denied.

COSATU’s Central Executive Committee has welcomed the Commission’s ruling and recommendations.

“The CEC collectively resolved to release Willie Madisha as president of COSATU in terms of Clause 9.6.1.3 of COSATU constitution,” says COSATU national spokesperson Patrick Craven.

An acting president will be selected at the following CEC in May 2008.

Madisha is believed to have made statements which were seen as an attack on Zuma, and had urged members not to vote for immoral leaders.

“At the time that this allegation emerged there were lots of tensions concerning the COSATU congress and various destabilizing features that emanated from the succession issue within the ANC,” says Zwelethu Jolobe, a political analyst and lecturer at the of Cape Town.

“I don’t think the issue was about Madisha being pro Mbeki, Madisha questioned the support that COSATU gave to Jacob Zuma, and I think that created tensions within the union, especially with reference to the political direction that the union was taking,” Jolobe elaborates.

1 comment:

Fithubi Fulufhelo said...

We need to know what happened to that amount of money or else he should be prosecuted because what he did was illegal. Why actually the state kept quite about this , isn`t because it involve many government officials or what? Why Blade le ena a thotse if he was associated whith dirty acts. We want the truth about this allegation, someone should come out clean or else be charged for fraud or corruption

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