Chartered accountant and senior business rescue practitioner Sipho Sono has approached the Constitutional Court to prevent his removal by a lower court as administrator of the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (Ceppwawu).

Sono was summoned to appear before the Labour Court yesterday to explain why he should not be held in contempt of court, jailed or fined for refusing to step down as administrator of the Cosatu affiliate, according to Business Day.

Sono’s office said approaching the apex court was a ‘normal appeal process’, and would not comment further.

Judgment on the matter had been reserved until Friday, it said.

Earlier in 2026 the court ordered his removal and appointed Gerhard Vosloo, whose term started on 1 March. Sono appealed the ruling and continued as administrator, said Cosatu national spokesperson Zanele Sabela.

Ceppwawu has about 50 000 members. It was put under administration by the Labour Registrar in June 2020, after failing to manage its affairs since 2018.

Sabela said Sono was brought in as an interim administrator for six months before he was eventually appointed.

She said his mandate was clear: ‘appoint an experienced facilitator to convene Ceppwawu’s regional and national congresses as per its constitution and ultimately elect a new leadership for the union. Sono would be required to compile audited financial statements from the year ending 2018 onwards’.

The congresses were to be convened and concluded by 30 September 2023, after which the control, management and affairs of the union would be handed over to the new union leadership on expiry of Sono’s term on 12 December 2023.

Sono repeatedly failed to deliver on his mandate, prompting the Labour Registrar to petition the court to have him removed.

In March, the Labour Appeals Court affirmed the January ruling and ordered Sono to vacate his post as Ceppwawu administrator.

Full Business Day report