MORE than a thousand metalworkers meet in Boksburg from today to decide whether or not Cosatu’s biggest affiliate, Numsa, should cut ties with the ANC and start its own working-class party.
Among the major decisions Numsa members will discuss over the next four days is if the union, which pumps at least R800000 into Cosatu’s coffers every month, should withdraw its support and financial backing for the ANC’s election campaign.
Withdrawing would be a major blow for the ANC as it could see the party lose a large chunk of its foot soldiers to canvass support for next year’s election.
The special national congress will be held at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg, where 1056 metalworkers will debate the discussion documents launched earlier this month.
The congress was supposed to be held from Friday to yesterday but was postponed due to the 10-day national period of mourning for former statesman Nelson Mandela.
Numsa members will also have to elect a new union president following Cedric Gina’s resignation last month.
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said two weeks ago that the workers would decide whether there was a need for a new working-class party.
A big bone of contention between Numsa and the ANC is that the union is opposed to the National Development Plan (NDP) – the ANC’s roadmap for the future of the country.
Numsa has also been on a collision course with its mother body, Cosatu, ever since the labour federation suspended its general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, for an affair with a co-worker.
Numsa spokesman Castro Ngobese said yesterday it was all systems go for the special meeting and the agenda had not changed. “We want to make a special appeal to organisations that are not part of the congress movement not to disturb the meeting,” he said.
“It is a gathering for workers, not socialist movements or the EFF, so they must not because they are not welcome.”
His comments come days after the Workers and Socialist Party (WASP) threw its weight behind Numsa, saying the special congress was the most important political event of the labour movement since the founding of Cosatu in 1985.
In an open letter to Numsa members, WASP spokesman Weizmann Hamilton said: “ salutes Numsa for calling the special congress and condemns in the strongest possible terms the personal insults levelled at the leadership.
“We wholeheartedly support the Numsa recommendation to the special conference not to support the ANC in the 2014 elections and call on delegates to endorse that decision.
“However, withdrawing support from the ANC poses the question: who will Numsa and the working class support in 2014?
“We therefore call upon Numsa delegates at the special conference to go a step further … and to support the formation of a mass workers’ party on a socialist programme calling for the nationalisation of the mines, banks, commercial farms, factories and other big business on the basis of democratic workers’ control and management.
“We call on Numsa to take its place in the leadership of the Workers and Socialist Party.”
Numsa mulls split from ruling party
Among the major decisions Numsa members will discuss over the next four days is if the union, which pumps at least R800000 into Cosatu’s coffers every month, should withdraw its support and financial backing for the ANC’s election campaign.
Withdrawing would be a major blow for the ANC as it could see the party lose a large chunk of its foot soldiers to canvass support for next year’s election.
The special national congress will be held at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg, where 1056 metalworkers will debate the discussion documents launched earlier this month.
The congress was supposed to be held from Friday to yesterday but was postponed due to the 10-day national period of mourning for former statesman Nelson Mandela.
Numsa members will also have to elect a new union president following Cedric Gina’s resignation last month.
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said two weeks ago that the workers would decide whether there was a need for a new working-class party.
A big bone of contention between Numsa and the ANC is that the union is opposed to the National Development Plan (NDP) – the ANC’s roadmap for the future of the country.
Numsa has also been on a collision course with its mother body, Cosatu, ever since the labour federation suspended its general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, for an affair with a co-worker.
Numsa spokesman Castro Ngobese said yesterday it was all systems go for the special meeting and the agenda had not changed. “We want to make a special appeal to organisations that are not part of the congress movement not to disturb the meeting,” he said.
“It is a gathering for workers, not socialist movements or the EFF, so they must not because they are not welcome.”
His comments come days after the Workers and Socialist Party (WASP) threw its weight behind Numsa, saying the special congress was the most important political event of the labour movement since the founding of Cosatu in 1985.
In an open letter to Numsa members, WASP spokesman Weizmann Hamilton said: “ salutes Numsa for calling the special congress and condemns in the strongest possible terms the personal insults levelled at the leadership.
“We wholeheartedly support the Numsa recommendation to the special conference not to support the ANC in the 2014 elections and call on delegates to endorse that decision.
“However, withdrawing support from the ANC poses the question: who will Numsa and the working class support in 2014?
“We therefore call upon Numsa delegates at the special conference to go a step further … and to support the formation of a mass workers’ party on a socialist programme calling for the nationalisation of the mines, banks, commercial farms, factories and other big business on the basis of democratic workers’ control and management.
“We call on Numsa to take its place in the leadership of the Workers and Socialist Party.”
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