The National Union of Metalworkers of SA yesterday revealed that it had suspended one of its shop stewards, Zingiswa Losi - who is also second deputy president of trade union federation Cosatu.
"The union has suspended Comrade Losi in her capacity as a full-time shop steward at Ford Motor Company [in Port Elizabeth]," Numsa said .
Numsa said Losi would appear before a disciplinary committee, convened in terms of the union's constitution and disciplinary code.
"The union will not be in a position to deal publicly with the merits and demerits of her suspension.
"We strongly believe that her suspension is an internal and organisational matter."
Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven refused to comment.
Cosatu and Numsa have been at loggerheads over the suspension of Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
He was placed on special leave in August after he admitted to having a sexual relationship with a junior Cosatu employee.
In response, Vavi claimed that "forces" were at work to discredit him.
Nine of Cosatu's 19 affiliated unions have called for a special congress to discuss the possibility of Vavi's reinstatement.
Numsa had asked the Johannesburg High Court to overturn Vavi's suspension.
The matter was postponed after the court agreed to an application to intervene by seven unions opposing the reinstatement of Vavi.
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