ANC lashes out at Cosatu

2010-03-05 14:35

Johannesburg - Cosatu's belief that there is a faction attempting to oust ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe was "untrue, devious and disingenuous", the ANC said on Friday.

"We would like to dismiss these sentiments with contempt as they are totally unfounded," African National Congress spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said at a briefing in Johannesburg.

The ANC "grudgingly" called a media briefing to respond to allegations made by Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

Vavi on Thursday said there were moves afoot amongst the ANC leadership to oust Mantashe before his term concluded in 2012.

Vavi had said that Cosatu was aware of mobilisation in parts of the country of a small group to "cause mayhem" at the ANC's national general council in September.

He warned that the actions would plunge the ANC into "unprecedented crisis".

Doing damage control, Mthembu said he had to put to rest the allegations before structures of the ANC came to believe them.

- SAPA