Martin Jansen

This critique is offered for the union ahead of its next national congress in December 2016 as food for thought towards unlocking NUMSA’s historical task that present possibilities for unifying the working class in struggle, increasing its confidence and steering us towards socialist revolution.

In an interview last year, Floyd Shivambu, the EFF’s Deputy President, had this to say in response to NUMSA’s reluctance to build unity with them,[i] “What we know is that efforts to start a rival socialist or workers’ party will dwindle into insignificance and will not benefit the working class and workers whom our ideological allies claim to represent.” It has been three years since the historic NUMSA moment and it appears that the EFF leader’s claim is true. For three years we have not seen any significant mass campaigns or struggles led by NUMSA, let alone grassroots mass democratic organisations emerging that have captured working class interests. What are we to make of this?

Message of Support and Condolences: A Joint Statement by the Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (DEMAWUSA) and the Municipal and Allied Trade Union of South Africa (MATUSA)

The Murder of a Shop Steward

On Friday 29^th July,  SAMWU members employed by Pikitup went to their Unions Head Office in Johannesburg  to try find out what was happening after ending their month long strike earlier this year. At the entrance to the shabby building that has had millions of members subscriptions misspent on it, the workers were confronted by a team of so-called protectors, who resembled nightclub bouncers, and employed by the Union at a phenomenal cost.

Despite being orderly and disciplined, the workers were physically prevented from entering their own building, and eventually after assaulting workers, the ‘bouncers’ drew weapons and opened fire.  Three people were wounded, and one a leading shop steward was gunned down, at point blank range, and it appears, in the back as he was leaving.  The victim, a respected shop steward, eventually died on the scene before an EMS team could arrive, in front of his comrades, in full view of the public, and outside the Union Head Office that he represented. Of the two others comrades who were shot, one is still in a very precarious condition.

bhalwe ngumbhali weElitsha

Ixesha lolwaluko alifikanga ligalelekile kwaye urhulumente wase Mpuma Koloni umemelela lonke uluntu ukuba luthabathe uxanduva ngelithuba lolwaluko lwasebusika.
“Umntwana wakho ngumntwana wam, kwaye kuthatha uluntu lonke ukukhululisa umntwana,” lo ngumyalezo ovela kwisebe Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) kwiphondo lase Mpuma Koloni. Esi sindululo sijoliswe kuluntu lonke ekuhlaleni ukuba kubanjiswane ukuze elixesha lobusika libe lelikhuselekileyo.

Ulwaluko lithuba apho amakhwenkwe athi aluke ukuze agqithele kwizinga lobudoda nelithe labasematheni kweli loMzantsi Afrika jikelele ngenxa yokwenyuka kwamanani okusweleka nokungxwelerheka kwabakhwetha.

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