During his presentation on the commemoration of Chris Hani, Blade Nzimande, South African Communist Party (SACP), General-Secretary implied that there are internal factional battles in Cosatu.
He said: “We repeat our warning to organised workers to beware of the business unionism and the dangers it poses for trade union unity”.
In which context was Nzimande raising this since most trade unions are in business through their investment companies. The investment companies are primarily meant to assist in smooth running of day by day union programs.
Trade unions members’ subscriptions and assistance by their investment companies have supported the South African Communist Party (SACP) in the past years. The SACP never complained about the investment companies of trade unions back then; why now?
To tell the truth; the life of the SACP could have been difficult and maybe impossible without revolutionary unions like Numsa. Any communist who is able to apply the tools of analysis to the current political landscape might say   that Nzimande should direct his  warnings to those who want to use trade unions as a stepping stone to parliament in order to advance their personal agendas.
The current struggle in Cosatu has more to do with those who have ambitions to go to parliament than the genuine needs of the working class. They abandon the radical programmes of organised labour and undermine the working class and the poor.
These people like Nzimande are arrogant and slowly but surely becoming heartless and dirty with an intention to destroy any organisation opposed to neo-liberal policies. They will eventually destroy leaders of those organisations.
I agree with Nzimande that Hani never left the ANC, however, it must be said that Hani criticised the ANC on: the lack of commitment to the struggle; dysfunctional structures; high salaries that have a potential to destroy the consciousness of those who were working for the organization, nepotism and many more.
It is for these criticisms that some leaders and members in the ANC hated Hani with the same passion they hate Numsa today.
Innocent Ndiki is Numsa national youth coordinator