Newly elected National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) boss David Sipunzi is on a collision course with the ANC and Cosatu.
This is after he said Cosatu members don't have to support the ANC-led tripartite alliance to remain in the fold of the federation.
In an interview with Sowetan yesterday, Sipunzi, pictured, said although there was an expectation that union members should support the ANC and SACP, this was not a "must".
"It is not a prerequisite that for one to be a member of Cosatu one has to support the alliance. I have never seen anywhere that in order to be in Cosatu you must support the alliance," he said.
"We don't look at political affiliation. It is like in the NUM, there are people from the ANC and IFP and other parties. We welcome all mineworkers," he said.
Sipunzi was elaborating on his call for Cosatu to review the decision to expel metalworkers union Numsa and the federation's general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
Sipunzi said he would use the newly elected NUM officials' first meeting on Monday to convince them to fight for the reinstatement of Numsa and Vavi.
NUM, like other unions, campaigns and finances ANC election canvasses.
NUM's support will be crucial in the local elections.
Sipunzi wields power over the union's finances and the regions.
He said Vavi and Numsa's expulsion had weakened the federation.
But he emphasised that Numsa should remain in the alliance and fix issues from inside and also added that NUM would seek a meeting with the metalworkers to convince them to come back.
"Every day when I stand in front of workers they ask me 'Where is Vavi?' [I] Cannot turn a blind eye [to] this. This saga has weakened the federation. The vacuum that was left by Vavi is felt by members," Sipunzi said.
He said Numsa needed to be "persuaded" to come back to Cosatu.
"I don't think Numsa is married to poaching members. After months of expelling Numsa let's sit down and review the decision. Expelling Numsa means Cosatu lost 300000 members. How are we going to get to four million members if we expel those who are there?" Sipunzi asked.
He said his first big task would be to unite NUM after a bruising contestation between him and the former leader, Frans Baleni.
Sipunzi also called on members who left the union for rival unions to come back "home".
Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini said Sipunzi's comments were "uncalled for and unfortunate" and he would take up the matter with NUM.
He said the federation would be guided by the NUM's congress declaration which he declared supported the decision to expel Numsa and Vavi.
matlalag@sowetan.co.za
Sipunzi takes on ANC, Cosatu
Newly elected National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) boss David Sipunzi is on a collision course with the ANC and Cosatu.
This is after he said Cosatu members don't have to support the ANC-led tripartite alliance to remain in the fold of the federation.
In an interview with Sowetan yesterday, Sipunzi, pictured, said although there was an expectation that union members should support the ANC and SACP, this was not a "must".
"It is not a prerequisite that for one to be a member of Cosatu one has to support the alliance. I have never seen anywhere that in order to be in Cosatu you must support the alliance," he said.
"We don't look at political affiliation. It is like in the NUM, there are people from the ANC and IFP and other parties. We welcome all mineworkers," he said.
Sipunzi was elaborating on his call for Cosatu to review the decision to expel metalworkers union Numsa and the federation's general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
Sipunzi said he would use the newly elected NUM officials' first meeting on Monday to convince them to fight for the reinstatement of Numsa and Vavi.
NUM, like other unions, campaigns and finances ANC election canvasses.
NUM's support will be crucial in the local elections.
Sipunzi wields power over the union's finances and the regions.
He said Vavi and Numsa's expulsion had weakened the federation.
But he emphasised that Numsa should remain in the alliance and fix issues from inside and also added that NUM would seek a meeting with the metalworkers to convince them to come back.
"Every day when I stand in front of workers they ask me 'Where is Vavi?' [I] Cannot turn a blind eye [to] this. This saga has weakened the federation. The vacuum that was left by Vavi is felt by members," Sipunzi said.
He said Numsa needed to be "persuaded" to come back to Cosatu.
"I don't think Numsa is married to poaching members. After months of expelling Numsa let's sit down and review the decision. Expelling Numsa means Cosatu lost 300000 members. How are we going to get to four million members if we expel those who are there?" Sipunzi asked.
He said his first big task would be to unite NUM after a bruising contestation between him and the former leader, Frans Baleni.
Sipunzi also called on members who left the union for rival unions to come back "home".
Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini said Sipunzi's comments were "uncalled for and unfortunate" and he would take up the matter with NUM.
He said the federation would be guided by the NUM's congress declaration which he declared supported the decision to expel Numsa and Vavi.
matlalag@sowetan.co.za
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