Saftu's 'misbehaviour' allegations against Zwelinzima Vavi are around him carrying a gun to meetings

As Saftu's general secretary continues to fight for his position, it has emerged that one of the “misbehaviour” charges he is facing is an accusation that he attends meetings carrying a gun.

This revelation came to light in a Saftu internal document after the move by the trade union federation’s national office bearers demanding that Vavi make representations for why he should not be suspended.

Saftu president Mac Chavalala accused Vavi of not being alive to the sensitivity around guns but this was a charge Vavi described as opportunistic —  cooked up to deal with him —  since no Saftu leader had raised discomfort before for his carrying of a firearm in meetings. Vavi said he carried a firearm only when his sole close protector was absent. 

“It’s not the first time the GS carries the gun to the meeting. Guns are a sensitive issue,” wrote Chavalala.

“At one meeting in Pretoria held at the Numsa office, the GS was carrying a gun. The second [Saftu) deputy president, Thabo Matsose, had raised concern about this gun.”

Vavi fired back saying no such concern was ever raised, adding that he has always disclosed to his colleagues that he is armed.

“The national office bearers, led by the president, had refused to get the services of someone who was willing to be employed on a stipend, using resources as an excuse, when the issue openly said that the president wanted to have a protector too,” Vavi fought back.

“The NEC in response to this had asked the national office bearers to get a company to do a security assessment risk on each of the national office bearers and Saftu properties to determine if there is a security threat on any of the national office bearers. This was not done for obvious reasons.”

On the occasion of Vavi arming himself during the meeting at Numsa offices, he said this was because “the tired and exhausted single protector attached to the GS and paid for by Numsa had a funeral at home in the North West.

“On that day I had to carry a gun and disclosed that to the national office bearers. There was no tension and no stress,” Vavi said. 

He said he was stunned when Chavalala later made this a big issue at an NEC meeting, having not done so when it happened.

“If it was such a problem why didn’t the president ask me to put the gun away — which would have been an illegal instruction as the gun must be on your body or in a safe at home.”

Vavi's troubles are expected to be the hot agenda in the Saftu NEC meeting scheduled for this weekend. 

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