By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Zingisa Losi been re-elected uncontested as the Congress of South African Trade Union (Cosatu) president for a second term in office.
Losi was elected during the trade union federation’s 14th national congress.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa announced the results on Thursday afternoon, declaring them free and fair.
Close to 2,000 Cosatu delegates cast their vote.
Mike Shingange was elected first deputy president, while Duncan Luvuno was elected as the second deputy.
Bheki Ntshalintshali failed to receive even a single nomination from any of Cosatu’s 16 affiliates.
Ntshalintshali was appointed general secretary of Cosatu in 2015, following Zwelinzima Vavi’s dismissal, and retained the position at the organisation’s 2018 congress.
Support for his deputy Solly Phetoe, however, was resounding, which meant Ntshalintshali was left out in the cold.
The only contested position was for deputy general secretary where Gerald Thwala won by a landslide victory against Moses Lekota. Thwala emerged victorious, securing 1 187 votes to Lekota’s 599 votes.