Zwelinzima Vavi's axing as Cosatu general secretary had the blessing of President Jacob Zuma. Just two days before the Cosatu central executive committee took the decision to fire the federation's long-serving boss, Zuma told a meeting of the ANC's national executive committee that he was concerned by Cosatu's failure to act against those he said were causing divisions within its ranks.The NEC meeting was attended, by among others, Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini in his capacity as an ANC NEC member.Dlamini and Vavi have been locked in a long-running battle over control of the federation, with the Cosatu president favouring a closer working relationship with Zuma, while Vavi had become critical of the ANC government.ANC NEC members who attended the meeting last weekend say Zuma expressed his frustration with the federation's "failure to act" against divisions within its ranks.This, they say, was said to have the potential of crippling the entire ANC-led alliance.One NEC member, who asked not to be named because he is not allowed to speak on behalf of the party, said Zuma made the comments during a discussion on the Cosatu crisis last Saturday.The ANC last year appointed a task team to resolve differences between the Vavi and Dlamini factions in the federation. But the task team had made little progress in its mission.Seemingly frustrated by this lack of progress, Zuma told the meeting that Cosatu needed to act urgently or its divisions would end up weakening the ANC and other components of the tripartite alliance."The president said when you don't act, the trade union federation will be in tatters, and the whole alliance [will be in trouble]," said the NEC member.He said Zuma's remarks were seen by the Dlamini faction as an endorsement of their plan to oust Vavi.Other NEC members who spoke during the discussions on Cosatu are said to have warned that Vavi "had grown bigger for his boots" and that he saw himself as larger than Cosatu."[Zuma] said Cosatu was delaying taking action. They [Cosatu] were encouraged to deal with this matter," said one of the insiders.This NEC member said Dlamini seemed relieved by Zuma's remarks, as if he had needed that kind of reassurance ahead of a tough political week.However, Dlamini yesterday dismissed this, saying Cosatu did not need Zuma's blessing to act against Vavi."There was no way the ANC could have told Cosatu what to do. Cosatu was not represented at the NEC meeting," he said, pointing out that he had attended the meeting in his capacity as an NEC member and not as the Cosatu boss.President 'Did Not Encourage Federation'ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa confirmed that the Cosatu crisis was a topic of discussion at the meeting, and that Zuma commented on it, but denied that the president had encouraged the federation to fire Vavi."The issue that the president was [commenting on] is our indecision as the alliance. We take time to interface and interact on issues [until those] issues reach a particular point," said Kodwa."He was saying we must avoid a situation where issues reach a particular point and all of us are caught [off guard]."He was explaining his call for an alliance summit, saying that meeting must help us draw a line of the do's and don'ts so that we don't get at the situation we are in at the moment."Kodwa said the ANC would never instruct Cosatu what to do because the federation was an independent organisation."The ANC cannot impose itself on Cosatu. Cosatu is not a branch of the ANC."Although Dlamini defended his central executive committee's decision to expel Vavi, he conceded this week that such a move could lead to each of the federation's 18 affiliates splitting into two unions."No union will be spared of that. No matter how strong they think they are and no matter how small, because people are not water that flow in the same direction," said Dlamini.He said although Cosatu could lose members if Vavi decided to form a new federation, most members would not follow Vavi.He said he believed the majority of Cosatu members would remain where they are under the trade union federation.Vavi's removal came as the ANC task team was still in the process of finding a solution for problems engulfing Cosatu.However, the task team, led by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, has not met the warring factions this year.Last year the ANC called for a "ceasefire" within Cosatu, while it sought a solution to the problems facing the alliance.The intervention resulted in the lifting of Vavi's suspension.But since then Cosatu has expelled Vavi and his supporters, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa.Dlamini said those decisions did not violate the ANC ceasefire."The ceasefire does not say disciplinary process should not continue. It does not call for Cosatu to suspend its constitution."Asked what would happen should the task team recommend that both Numsa and Vavi be brought back into Cosatu, Dlamini said: "The task team can only recommend. It can't tell Cosatu what to do."Vavi meanwhile told reporters this week that he continued holding talks with ANC leaders. "There [are] discussions," he said...