Zwelinzima Vavi
Encyclopedia
Zwelinzima Vavi is General Secretary of Congress of South African Trade Unions
(COSATU), and Vice-Chairperson of the Millennium Labour Council.
, with a mineworker father, four brothers and seven sisters. Until he was baptised, he did not know the date of his birthday. He was a child labourer, looking for work among neighbouring farms.
In 1987 Vavi worked in a gold-mining territory of Klerksdorp and Orkney. He was a uranium plant clerk at Vaal Reefs mine, and joined the National Union of Mineworkers as an organizer. He was fired from AngloGold
in 1987 following a massive miners' strike which crippled the Chamber of Mines. He then joined COSATU as a volunteer.
Vavi took centre stage in the four-month negotiation that preceded the 1997 Jobs Summit. He serves on the International Labour Organisation's commission on globalisation.
In 1999 he succeeded Mbhazima Shilowa
(formerly the Gauteng
Premier, now one of the leaders of COPE
) as general secretary of COSATU.
He addressed the 27 June 2002 XIV International AIDS Conference where he pushed mass education and prevention campaigns.
, blaming mismanagement by government, an ill-conceived structural adjustment programme, and factors beyond its control like sanctions against neighbouring South Africa
during apartheid years. He led two fact-finding missions, in October 2004 and February 2005, to assess conditions for a fair poll during the planned Zimbabwe parliamentary elections of 2005
. The members of the mission were deported during the first mission, and were turned back at Harare airport at the start of the second.
Talking of the alliance which governs South Africa
between the ANC
, COSATU
and the SACP
after a failed trip to see the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
(ZCTU) in 2004, he is critical of the ANCs approach to Zimbabwe, privatisation, and corruption
in government.
and the former head of the presidency Smuts Ngonyama
.
COSATU accuses both men of taking advantage of their government posts to access privileged information.
In May 2010 the ANC threatened to charge Vavi with "ill-discipline".
Vavi has argued that under Jacob Zuma
's government "We are heading rapidly in the direction of a full-blown predator state in which a powerful corrupt and demagogic elite of political hyenas increasingly controls the state as a vehicle of accumulation and warned of a possible Tunisia
style revolution.
Congress of South African Trade Unions
The Congress of South African Trade Unions is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the biggest of the country’s three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions, altogether organising 1.8 million workers.-Establishment:COSATU was established in...
(COSATU), and Vice-Chairperson of the Millennium Labour Council.
Early life
Vavi was born on a farm in Hanover, Northern CapeNorthern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
, with a mineworker father, four brothers and seven sisters. Until he was baptised, he did not know the date of his birthday. He was a child labourer, looking for work among neighbouring farms.
In 1987 Vavi worked in a gold-mining territory of Klerksdorp and Orkney. He was a uranium plant clerk at Vaal Reefs mine, and joined the National Union of Mineworkers as an organizer. He was fired from AngloGold
AngloGold
AngloGold was a gold mining company based in South Africa and majority-owned by the Anglo American group. In 2004 it merged with the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation to create the world's second-largest gold producer, AngloGold Ashanti. It's a big company....
in 1987 following a massive miners' strike which crippled the Chamber of Mines. He then joined COSATU as a volunteer.
COSATU
In 1988, he became COSATU's regional secretary for the Western Transvaal. In 1992 he took up the position of National Organizing Secretary. he served as COSATU's Deputy General Secretary from 1993 to 1999.Vavi took centre stage in the four-month negotiation that preceded the 1997 Jobs Summit. He serves on the International Labour Organisation's commission on globalisation.
In 1999 he succeeded Mbhazima Shilowa
Mbhazima Shilowa
Mbhazima Samuel Shilowa is a South African politician. A former Premier of Gauteng province while a member of the African National Congress, Shilowa left the party to help form the opposition Congress of the People, with whom he is the Deputy President...
(formerly the Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
Premier, now one of the leaders of COPE
COPE
COPE may refer to:* The Council of Pacific Education , a regional branch of Education International, the global federation of teachers' trade unions* Coalition of Progressive Electors, a municipal political party in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
) as general secretary of COSATU.
He addressed the 27 June 2002 XIV International AIDS Conference where he pushed mass education and prevention campaigns.
Zimbabwe
As General Secretary he has expressed disappointment with political progress in ZimbabweZimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, blaming mismanagement by government, an ill-conceived structural adjustment programme, and factors beyond its control like sanctions against neighbouring South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during apartheid years. He led two fact-finding missions, in October 2004 and February 2005, to assess conditions for a fair poll during the planned Zimbabwe parliamentary elections of 2005
Zimbabwe parliamentary elections, 2005
A parliamentary election was held in Zimbabwe on March 31, 2005 to elect members to the Zimbabwe House of Assembly. All of the 120 elected seats in the 150-seat House of Assembly were up for election. A parliamentary election was held in Zimbabwe on March 31, 2005 to elect members to the Zimbabwe...
. The members of the mission were deported during the first mission, and were turned back at Harare airport at the start of the second.
Talking of the alliance which governs South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
between the ANC
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
, COSATU
Congress of South African Trade Unions
The Congress of South African Trade Unions is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the biggest of the country’s three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions, altogether organising 1.8 million workers.-Establishment:COSATU was established in...
and the SACP
South African Communist Party
South African Communist Party is a political party in South Africa. It was founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa by the joining together of the International Socialist League and others under the leadership of Willam H...
after a failed trip to see the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions is the dominant central trade union federation in Zimbabwe. The general secretary of ZCTU is Wellington Chibebe and the president is Lovemore Matombo....
(ZCTU) in 2004, he is critical of the ANCs approach to Zimbabwe, privatisation, and corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
in government.
ANC
He took particular issue with the Public Investment Commissioners Telkom share purchase, involving former communications director-general Andile NgcabaAndile Ngcaba
Andile Abner Ngcaba is a South African businessman who has devoted most of his life and career to the field of technology, in particular communications....
and the former head of the presidency Smuts Ngonyama
Smuts Ngonyama
Lulama Smuts Ngonyama is a former head of communications for the African National Congress in South Africa. He was born in Uitenhage, attended school in Fort Beaufort and graduated from the University of Fort Hare....
.
COSATU accuses both men of taking advantage of their government posts to access privileged information.
In May 2010 the ANC threatened to charge Vavi with "ill-discipline".
Vavi has argued that under Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
's government "We are heading rapidly in the direction of a full-blown predator state in which a powerful corrupt and demagogic elite of political hyenas increasingly controls the state as a vehicle of accumulation and warned of a possible Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
style revolution.