Vavi angers Mbeki

2007-08-17 18:03

Cape Town - Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has again raised President Thabo Mbeki's ire; this time for communicating with the ANC through public statements.

Vavi had, not surprisingly, joined the chorus of praise-singers of sacked Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, Mbeki said in his weekly newsletter on the ANC website on Friday.

According to the SABC, the general secretary had boldly stated, with absolute contempt for the facts, but absolute loyalty to a particular agenda:

"I think the firing of that minister - who everybody in the country accepted was one of the most efficient, hardworking ministers we have in the Cabinet - sends a message... that we know of so much dead wood that remains untouchable in government as ministers, many of them dying on duty... says basically, if you're working hard and are an independent thinker, you will get the chop."

'Public and negative statements'

Mbeki said as head of state and government, he knew of no minister or deputy, with which echelon of South Africans he interacted virtually everyday, who was not an independent thinker and a hard worker, who behaved like a sheep and a mindless sycophant.

"Given my constitutional and political responsibilities, defined by our Constitution and statutes, I am quite ready to listen to any contrary view in this regard, regardless of its origin.

"On the various occasions I have met Vavi formally and informally, he has never raised this issue.

"Neither has Cosatu, a genuinely valued ally of the ANC, which Vavi has served as general secretary for years, ever raised this issue in its numerous interactions with the ANC and government.

"Basing itself on its experience about Vavi's many public and negative statements, which I assume he will continue to make, the ANC, a devoted ally of Cosatu, must surely come to the conclusion that its historic ally, Cosatu, has determined that it will principally communicate with us, the ANC, through public statements made by its general secretary," Mbeki said.

- SAPA