Vavi’s expulsion from Cosatu: an injury to one is an injury to all?

On Monday night erstwhile Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi was formerised, when the federation’s central executive committee (CEC) voted 31-1 to dismiss him from his position.

This move has been a long time coming and, as such, was no surprise. To the chagrin of the federation’s leaders, Vavi supported metalworkers union Numsa when it was expelled from Cosatu  in November, and has boycotted all CEC meetings since.

Despite the factionalism plaguing the federation, Cosatu would have us believe that Vavi’s dismissal is a symbol of “unity”. Whatever happened to “An injury to one is an injury to all”?