Zwelinzima Vavi facts for kids

Zwelinzima Vavi was born on December 20, 1962. He is a well-known leader in South Africa's trade unions. Currently, he serves as the General Secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU). Before this, he was the general secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). He also held a position as vice-chairperson of the Millennium Labour Council.

Early Life and Work

Growing Up in Hanover

Zwelinzima Vavi grew up on a farm in Hanover, a town in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. He was one of twelve children, with four brothers and seven sisters. His father worked as a mineworker. For a long time, he didn't even know his exact birthday until he was baptized.

Starting Work Young

As a child, Zwelinzima worked on farms near his home. This was a common way for children to help their families earn money. Later, in 1987, he found work in the gold-mining areas of Klerksdorp and Orkney. He worked as a clerk at a uranium plant at the Vaal Reefs mine.

Joining the Union

While working in the mines, Vavi joined the National Union of Mineworkers. He became an organizer for the union. In 1987, he was fired from AngloGold after a very large miners' strike. This strike caused big problems for the mining industry. After losing his job, he started volunteering for COSATU.

Leading COSATU

Rising Through the Ranks

In 1988, Zwelinzima Vavi became the regional secretary for COSATU in the Western Transvaal area. He continued to take on more important roles. By 1992, he was the national organizing secretary. From 1993 to 1999, he served as COSATU's deputy general secretary.

Important Negotiations

Vavi played a key role in important discussions. He was central to the four-month talks that led to the 1997 Jobs Summit. This summit aimed to create more jobs in South Africa. He also worked on a special commission for the International Labour Organization. This group looked at how globalization was changing work around the world.

Becoming General Secretary

In 1999, Vavi took over as the general secretary of COSATU. He replaced Mbhazima Shilowa, who later became a leader in a different political party. As general secretary, Vavi spoke at the XIV International AIDS Conference in 2002. He strongly supported educating people and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Challenges and Expulsion

Vavi spoke out against the expulsion of NUMSA, a large metalworkers' union, from COSATU. NUMSA used to be the biggest union in the COSATU group. This disagreement was a major reason why Vavi himself was later expelled from COSATU. On March 30, 2015, COSATU's Central Executive Committee voted to remove Vavi from his position. The vote was 31 to 1 in favor of his expulsion.

Views on Zimbabwe

Concerns About Progress

As general secretary, Vavi often shared his concerns about the political situation in Zimbabwe. He believed that poor management by the government and other issues were causing problems. He also mentioned that sanctions against neighboring South Africa during the apartheid years had an impact.

Fact-Finding Missions

Vavi led two missions to Zimbabwe to see if the 2005 parliamentary elections would be fair. In October 2004, the members of his mission were sent back home. In February 2005, they were turned away at Harare airport. This meant they could not complete their work.

Criticism of the ANC

Vavi was part of an alliance that governed South Africa. This alliance included the ANC, COSATU, and the SACP. After a difficult trip to see the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions in 2004, Vavi became more critical. He disagreed with the ANC's approach to Zimbabwe. He also spoke out against the privatization of state-owned companies and corruption in government.

Views on the ANC

Concerns About Corruption

Vavi raised concerns about certain financial deals. He specifically questioned the Public Investment Corporation's purchase of shares in Telkom. This deal involved former government officials. COSATU accused these officials of using their government positions to get special information for their own benefit.

Warnings About the State

In May 2010, the ANC warned Vavi about his strong criticisms. Vavi argued that under the government at the time, South Africa was becoming a "predator state." He meant that a powerful group of corrupt people were using the government for their own gain. He even warned of a possible revolution, similar to what happened in Tunisia.