Slain SACP leader Chris Hani would have been militant about economic inequities but would not have tolerated disrespect for older comrades, Cosatu said on Tuesday.

"You would have insisted on discipline and respect for older comrades," said Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi.

"We know you would not have allowed the type of ill-discipline we saw and chose to conveniently ignore because it was directed at those we disagreed with."

Vavi was voicing his sentiments in a tribute to Hani on the anniversary of the SA Communist Party secretary general's assassination 19 years ago.

Vavi said standing on a chair and shouting down older comrades would not have happened if Hani were around.

"You would have been among those who insisted at the ANC [national general council] the ill-discipline must end."

Vavi said the people's movement was "at war with itself".

There was labelling, innuendo, careerism, opportunism, selective justice, cherry-picking on corruption, and the criminalisation of dissent.

"As a fierce democrat in your own right, we are certain that rather than throwing foul-smelling labels at fellow comrades merely because they share different views about the tempo and direction of our struggle, you would instead have encouraged widespread debate and discussion."

Vavi said Hani would have mobilised people against the "self-enrichment programmes currently under way".

He would have opposed "tenderpreneurs" and condemned "the mediocrity these factions impose on our people".

"You would not have tolerated those failing to spend infrastructure budgets just because they are in a faction you support."

He described Hani as the "most ardent spokesperson of the poor", who would continue to be an inspiration.

Hani was shot dead outside his home in Dawn Park, Boksburg on April 10, 1993, which nearly derailed South Africa's first democratic election.

Clive Derby-Lewis, then a Conservative Party member, and Polish expatriate Janusz Walus are still serving life sentences for Hani's murder.

Derby-Lewis provided the weapon and Walus pulled the trigger.