Yesterday General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi attended a Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) grievance hearing that lasted for roughly two hours. Chaired by an outside independent individual, the grievance hearing originated after a 26 year 0ld married woman lay, and later withdrew, a charge of rape against Vavi. The woman, who is employed by Congress of South African Trade Unions, had said that Vavi raped her, a claim that Vavi completely denied and, instead, admitted to having consensual sex with the woman. He also claims she later wanted to extort R 2 million from  him.

The woman says that she and Vavi have officially met in 2011 at the SAA check -in counter at OR Tambo International Airport of which he took her contact number but did not get in contact with her for about two months. He then introduced her to his wife and said that this is the woman that I told you we should hire to work for us. Later in the week he then called her to his office for a meeting of which Vavi was alone when she got there , they discussed salary packages however no contract was signed.

She said on 25 January she called to come to her office. He came and found her sitting by her desk. She claims he then grabbed her, kissed her, locked the door and raped her. She has since withdrawn the charges against Vavi.

Vavi says he wishes the media would give him privacy on this matter as he would like to deal with it with his wife and family.

Now Sonke Gender Justice has come out and said that COSATU should not have released the name of the woman that accused its General Secretary of rape because it’s not permissible in terms of the South African Editors Forum Media Code Ethics and hopes that this matter will be resolved in a speedy and fair manner.