Vavi is 'grandstanding' - ANC
6 March 2010, 17:47
Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi's repeated allegations of corruption against a group of ANC leaders was "reminiscent of grandstanding".
"Vavi's failure to bring this weighty matter to the attention of the ANC and even his failure to report this matter to the law enforcement authorities, amounts to an insult to the standing and image of the ANC, its leadership and membership," said ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu in a statement on Saturday.
The war of words between the ruling party and its alliance partner continued as Vavi, speaking in Durban, said the ANC expected Cosatu to be its "lapdog".
One of the thorny issues the union had raised was the implementation of lifestyle audits for ministers and members of parliament.
Vavi said the union federation believed that the issue of lifestyle audits was crucial in the fight against corruption in the public sector.
"We believe that the reason why they are rejecting it is because there are too many people who are involved in this practice," he said.
Mthembu now wants Vavi to prove the repeated allegations of corruption he was making against ANC leaders.
"...Vavi speaks with conviction that "there is a tiny minority in the ANC leadership and membership which is corrupt and who use the ANC to enrich themselves".
"To this end, Comrade Vavi has not raised this matter with the ANC in any of the fora of engagements we have and he has not provided any evidence of such allegations."
He said the ANC expected Vavi, as a leader of the alliance, to bring the matter to the party or present it with a list of corrupt individuals.
"Together, we would have walk and marched to the nearest police station to ensure that such individuals are arrested.
"Comrade Vavi would have assisted the ANC and government to root out the scourge of corruption in the country."
The ANC on Friday lambasted Cosatu for saying that a small faction of ANC leadership was attacking the party's secretary general Gwede Mantashe.
Cosatu affiliate the SA Municipal Workers' Union said there were also plans by ANC elements to oust its president, Jacob Zuma.
Mthembu had dismissed Cosatu's comments as "untrue, devious and disingenuous".
Speaking during a SA Clothing and Textile Workers' Union meeting in Durban, Vavi said Cosatu did not need the ANC's permission to articulate its positions. - Sapa
"Vavi's failure to bring this weighty matter to the attention of the ANC and even his failure to report this matter to the law enforcement authorities, amounts to an insult to the standing and image of the ANC, its leadership and membership," said ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu in a statement on Saturday.
The war of words between the ruling party and its alliance partner continued as Vavi, speaking in Durban, said the ANC expected Cosatu to be its "lapdog".
One of the thorny issues the union had raised was the implementation of lifestyle audits for ministers and members of parliament.
Vavi said the union federation believed that the issue of lifestyle audits was crucial in the fight against corruption in the public sector.
"We believe that the reason why they are rejecting it is because there are too many people who are involved in this practice," he said.
Mthembu now wants Vavi to prove the repeated allegations of corruption he was making against ANC leaders.
"...Vavi speaks with conviction that "there is a tiny minority in the ANC leadership and membership which is corrupt and who use the ANC to enrich themselves".
"To this end, Comrade Vavi has not raised this matter with the ANC in any of the fora of engagements we have and he has not provided any evidence of such allegations."
He said the ANC expected Vavi, as a leader of the alliance, to bring the matter to the party or present it with a list of corrupt individuals.
"Together, we would have walk and marched to the nearest police station to ensure that such individuals are arrested.
"Comrade Vavi would have assisted the ANC and government to root out the scourge of corruption in the country."
The ANC on Friday lambasted Cosatu for saying that a small faction of ANC leadership was attacking the party's secretary general Gwede Mantashe.
Cosatu affiliate the SA Municipal Workers' Union said there were also plans by ANC elements to oust its president, Jacob Zuma.
Mthembu had dismissed Cosatu's comments as "untrue, devious and disingenuous".
Speaking during a SA Clothing and Textile Workers' Union meeting in Durban, Vavi said Cosatu did not need the ANC's permission to articulate its positions. - Sapa
Pretoria
