Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says the organisation’s influence has waned dramatically and it could become irrelevant.
Vavi and Sdumo Dlamini both have factions which have divided the trade union body.
Vavi is pushing for action against the ANC while Dlamini is inclined towards the ANC.
In his draft organisational report prepared for Cosatu’s central committee meeting in November, Vavi warns that the once powerful federation could become irrelevant if its leaders do not resolve divisions soon.
The party’s task team appears to have backtracked on its initial plans to offer Vavi and Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini ambassadorial positions in an effort to bring about unity before November’s central committee meeting.
“Cosatu has through its work over the years built up critical political capital in terms of its image and reputation at home and abroad, and the trust which workers in particular have had in the organisation,” Vavi writes in his report.
Vavi said Cosatu’s reputational damage negatively affected the organisation among South African workers and the public, as well as the perceptions of Cosatu among key international players, including in the trade union movement.
“Equally important to this reputational damage is the fact that the broader political impact of Cosatu’s interventions on key issues is significantly undermined by the dilution of our organisational power.
The general secretary said that already there were also signs emerging that membership is declining.
“There was already evidence of this danger in relation to Cosatu’s minimal impact at the ANC’s national conference in Mangaung.” Vavi said.
“We were forced to launch a rearguard action after the Conference, for example in relation to the NDP, to minimise the damage caused by our lack of coherence in Mangaung.”
Cosatu has campaigned against the National Development Plan, or NDP.