Work Item Type Container Linkage Element (C)

[Robin Sahasranam]

I have been archiving and deleting our workflow tables. However, we still have a
large number (900,000) of Container Linkage Element (SWWWIHEAD-WI_TYPE='C')
workitems in READY status. There are no other workitem types (F, W, B etc) in
READY status in the creation date range. The type 'C' workitems seem to remain
in READY status and never get changed to CANCELLED or COMPLETED, and thus don't
get archived/deleted. The type 'C' workitems don't have a task id (WI_RH_TASK)
and do not have a parent (WI_CHCKWI), so I can't figure out what they are linked
to.
 
Can you explain what these type C workitems are? Why do they remain in READY
status? Is it safe to delete them using the deletion report RSWWIDE, even though
they are in READY status?
 
 
Thanks in advance for the generosity of your time and willingness to help.
 
Robin Sahasranam