The Congress of South African Trade Unions applauds its affiliated union the National Union of Mineworkers for convening a successful 17th National Congress. We congratulate the newly elected leadership and wish them success in their new positions of responsibility.
The Federation is enormously proud of the NUM for continuing to preserve its tradition of being a worker led and worker-controlled union. The 17th National Congress proved that democracy is alive and well in the union.
This entrenched culture of democracy and accountability will help the union to survive whatever storms or challenges it faces in the future. Going forward, the union has an enormous task of helping in the pushback against a capitalist onslaught, including an attack on collective bargaining. The union also has prominent role to play in helping the federation and the Alliance to navigate a very politically fluid epoch that has seen the National Democratic Revolution at a crossroads. Workers are in a class war and we need a robust and solid NUM.
Unity is important for workers as the working class is gearing to struggle for working class power and strike back against capitalist domination.
Long Live NUM! Long Live!
Issued by COSATU
Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)Tel: 011 339 4911
Fax: 011 339 5080
Cell: 060 975 6794