Expelled National Union of Metalworkers of SA will be locked out of Cosatu's special congress, which it agitated for. Yesterday, the Johannesburg High Court ordered Cosatu to hold a special congress within two months after eight affiliates took the matter to court.The eight hope the special congress will reverse the decision to expel Numsa and former general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.But an official Cosatu tweet said: "#Numsa is no longer a #Cosatu affiliate and will not take part in the special national congress."Acting Cosatu spokesman Norman Mampane told The Times yesterday that: "Numsa's appeal will be heard at the [ordinary] national congress, not the special congress. The special congress is only for specific issues."Cosatu's decision to keep Numsa out of the congress effectively sets in motion another court battle over what remains of the once mighty workers' federation, which this year celebrates 30 years since its formation.Numsa, which yesterday claimed victory following the Johannesburg High Court decision compelling Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini to issue an official notice to convene the special congress, said it would fight its expulsion from Cosatu as well its exclusion from the special congress."Part of the reason Numsa was expelled was on the basis of us having called for a special congress to resolve, finally, the paralysis in Cosatu. We have also been consistent in saying we will fight our expulsion from Cosatu. We will be approaching the courts next week," said Numsa spokesman Castro Ngobese.The special congress will take place on July 13 and 14, with Dlamini expected to issue a notice to this effect by June 28.This was the bone of contention between Cosatu and eight rebel affiliates after they expressed misgivings about Dlamini's desire to follow through with the promise to convene a special congress.In a strongly worded statement, Cosatu reiterated that Numsa's re-entry into the federation would only be considered once the latter reversed its December 2013 special congress, including the decision not to campaign for the ANC."[Numsa] has taken us to court regarding its dismissal and it has also written a letter to appeal its expulsion at the ordinary national congress in line with the Cosatu constitution."Numsa can only become a Cosatu affiliate if it reverses the resolutions it took in opposition to the Cosatu existing policy," Cosatu said."[Only] when Numsa decides to do the right thing will we consider internal discussions about what is to be done."..