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STRONG WARNING: President Jacob Zuma addresses the 14th congress of the National Union of Mine Workers at Emperor's Palace in Kempton Park yesterday. Photo: SIYABULELA_DUDA

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Opposing NUM regions yesterday openly defied their leaders, who had called for a strong show of unity.

Those calls seemed to have fallen on deaf ears since rival regions declared their support for competing candidates through song and dance despite voting only taking place tomorrow.

The Highveld and Matlosana regions took to the open area near the leaders' podium, singing and making hand gestures that signalled their call for a change of leadership. They were joined in front by Eastern Cape, who were in turn joined by NUM's deputy general secretary Oupa Komane, who is contesting the current secretary-general Frans Baleni.

Several leaders, including NUM president Senzeni Zokwana and Komane, were at pains to remind delegates that the congress had been convened to discuss important union work.

They said voting should not be seen as being more important than other processes that needed to take place before balloting.

But it would seem waiting for tomorrow had already taken its toll on impatient delegates.

Just when leaders had managed to silence the few hundred singing delegates, the Rustenburg region entered the conference venue and belted out a song in favour of Baleni and Zokwana.

Delegates from the region sang that they would kneel down and pray for the duo, showing their support for their retention.

After delegates had been calmed down, Zokwana said: "We are here to run a congress, comrades, elections will come after."

Addressing delegates, SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande tore into Brett Murray - the artist behind the controversial painting depicting President Jacob Zuma with his genitals hanging out of his pants - saying his work lacked cultural sensitivity.

Nzimande compared Murray's artwork to the public display of Sarah "Saartjie" Baartman's body in Britain and France.

Nzimande also called for NUM members to boycott City Press newspaper, which had posted Murray's painting on its website.

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Sun May 19 22:21:42 SAST 2013 ::

May 25, 2012

Maqhankqa

Blade is talking nonsense, how can you compare Saartjie Baartmsn's display with that of a work of art? Baartman's display was not art but those were human remains. The SACP has lost its radar ever since this guy became its secretary.There is absolutely nothing coming from the SACP that seeks to suggest that it is still following its ideology of communism. This Nzimande guy is just looking after his stomach and of late each time he appears on TV he talks gabbage.
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May 25, 2012

CharlesTaylor

True Comrade Nzimande.

The sad truth is that, only blacks are willing to forge this racial tolerance, while whit_es doesn't give a damn. It is most of blacks who preach unity in diversity, rainbow nation etc, while whit_e people are willing and prepared to fight.

We will, in deed boycott the City Press!!!
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May 25, 2012

ProgressiveAfricanDemocrat

I think if these mineworkers know what is good for them, they should get rid of Zenzeni Zokwana and Frans Baleni. NUM has lost membership in recent years to newly formed rival unions and it is due to lack of leadership.

As for Blade Nzimande, the less said about him the better. The man cannot stop singing for his supper from Jacob Zuma.
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May 25, 2012

7000000

Maqhankqa
Blade is talking nonsense, how can you compare Saartjie Baartmsn's display with that of a work of art? Baartman's display was not art but those were human remains. The SACP has lost its radar ever since this guy became its secretary.There is absolutely nothing coming from the SACP that seeks to suggest that it is still following its ideology of communism. This Nzimande guy is just looking after his stomach and of late each time he appears on TV he talks gabbage.
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Totally agree with you Chief, He is always drunk that one we do not take him serious every time he speaks he always talk rubbish with no point at all I think he has a certain psychological problem that we do not know about. The Comrade is hardly reasonable shame eish very worried seeing that he might succeed Motlanthe should he got nailed!
@ NUM Comrades, just retain the same leadership I mean it will not change or add anything even if you can change them, besides Unions are loosing meaning and rationality nowadays. All Union leaders are just there as a short cut for Big Political posts they realised that being hardcore Politicians like Zuma and Mbeki is little bid tough so they rather have it the easy way to the top and ANC is happy about that!
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May 25, 2012

MommaC

Has Blunt run out of issues that actually affect the workers?
I am getting very tired of our labour unions. They really need to get back to basics and stop politicking all the time
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May 25, 2012

ThirdEye

I will never listen to Nzimande, he talk left & walk right.
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May 25, 2012

ApelMankotsana

Do we still have a communisy party in South Africa? The drunken master is drunk again. How does he compare Saartjie Baartman and the current painting.
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May 25, 2012

DoubleStandards

Who will be the chief stone throwner?
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May 25, 2012

Papage

If only we can put the some energy of fighting to lead into job creation and working hard to improve the economy of the country, things would have been better in the country, so stop waisting time in fighting for positions and usaless paitings and get to work. if i had power i would remove and destroy Zuma's paiting at Goodman/fellow galary. this is just time consuming for all of us
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May 25, 2012

hotline

Kunzima madoda, let the best candidate win.
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