Zwelinzima Vavi has been re-elected as general-secretary of Saftu following two days of divisions and threats in a conference that has been marred by squabbles.
ZWELINZIMA Vavi has been re-elected as general-secretary of Saftu following two days of divisions and threats in a conference that has been marred by squabbles.
Vavi, who has led Saftu from its inception a few years ago, was facing a challenge from a rival faction.
Numsa general-secretary Irvin Jim had earlier threatened to pull out of the conference if four national office bearers who had been suspended by Saftu in March were not allowed to contest for positions.
After hours of discussions it was agreed that the suspended office bearers should be allowed to contest various positions in the union.
Vavi had been at loggerheads with the rival faction for some time.
Mac Chavalala, who was contesting to be re-elected Saftu president, lost to Ruth Ntlokotse.
A few months ago, a faction led by Chavalala had tried to suspend Vavi from the union. But the other faction had reinstated him and suspended the four other officials.
After the results, Vavi defeated Moses Mautsoe.
The Saftu conference entered its second day in Johannesburg with both factions at each other’s throats on a number of issues.
Numsa, which is the biggest affiliate of the federation, had earlier threatened to pull out of the conference if the four suspended officials were not allowed to contest for positions.
Jim had called for the ballot paper to be the one that decides their fate instead of refusing them an opportunity to participate in the conference.
But after the results were announced, Vavi had received most of the votes and defeated his other rival.
