SPEECH TO THE NUM CENTRAL COMMITTEE BY ACTING PRESIDENT THAMSANQA PIET MATOSA, July 2 2014

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER

Comrades and friends

During this central committee we will be dedicating sometime for a farewell to our comrade and former President Senzeni Zokwana .Comrade Senzeni Zokwana is now Honourable Minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the new administration.

We are glad to see him in his new role and responsibility. We have no doubt that he will live up to the challenges faced by his department.

We also trust that the values that built him and made him a leader he is will continue to guide him in dealing with the national challenges and exploiting all opportunities for the benefit of the collective of our society.

We have noted the baptisms of fire .But to quote our local poet Mzwakhe Mbuli "For gold and diamond in order to be refined .They have gone through the fires of time".

We are glad that the Minister has constructively dealt with the baptism and will duly be ready to climb up to the challenges at hand .We thank you for responsiveness in the midst of criticism, this is how we have known you.

Youth Day commemoration

Last month South Africa marked the 38th year anniversary of the student uprising on 16 June 1976 which started in Soweto. This uprising is known as Youth Day in South Africa today.

On the 16th of June 1976 the students of Soweto decided that enough was enough with the apartheid system of education. They angrily reacted and resisted the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction alongside English in the schools.

We are happy as NUM that young workers who are NUM members have embraced this day as their source of inspiration and a fountain of consciousness .This is the inspiration the young members of NUM need in order to learn to defend NUM.

The rebellious students and youth of 1976 went to the trenches to advance the course of freedom and defend their people including the liberation forces who were already in exile at the time.

The young members of NUM must follow in this example .In your instance today it means arming yourselves with education and skills.

But it also means being politically active so that you are well empowered to defend this union of Barayi .We thank all those who took time to commemorate this important day in our political calendar.

The NUM Youth Structure must carry this responsibility with effective force of discipline, to defend NUM.

The youth of our organisation must be the first to act when we make a desperate call that our members must defend themselves. In defending themselves they will be defending NUM.

The youth of NUM must also be shaped in the theatre of real class struggle by generating programmes for radical change in all the sectors we organise.

They must undertake programmes and activities to advance the course of change in all the sectors we organise which is mining, energy, and construction.

New enemies and combat readiness

It is also in these sectors where NUM is facing new enemies. Every sphere of our existence has become a battle front. NUM must be battle thirsty and combat ready throughout its constitutional structures and committees.

NUM must recruit new members, reclaim old members, and provide service to those we already have. Defending to advance is an art that requires maximum discipline.

Service delivery

The leadership of NUM will continue to visit regions and branches as part of its commitment to build an organisation that is responsive to its members. Thus we have sent out National Office Bearers to conduct visits in all the regions.

We promise to continue in the same gear .So that NUM remains an activist trade union .No one in the regions and branches should feel threatened by this direct interface unless there is something to hide.

Through these interface initiatives we want to entrench the culture of service to members. The culture of direct contact with the masses, our members .This will assist the leadership to be aware of what is happening on the ground.

It will also reinforce the branch leaders to be more accountable and the regions to be more active and visible .In this way we could resolve problems quickly and support each other for the maximum benefit to the member .For we are stronger together.

Platinum strike

As National Union of Mineworkers we have indicated that we noted the end of the strike which was violent and did not serve the collective interest of the workers. Five workers were killed during the strike and the employer has not lost a single life.

The families of the mineworkers who were on strike have suffered grossly negatively for five months .The employer has not suffered a single personal loss. The homes of the employers remain intact while NUM members homes were petrol-bombed.

In retaliation the employer forced many shop stewards belonging to NUM to take voluntary packages as they deepened the negative atmosphere faced by NUM.

Some of the workers have been on the run for the period of the strike in fear of being killed for exercising the right to belong to a union of their choice. If this is a victory then it is hollow.

Clearly not even the state law enforcement agencies could protect NUM members .We must defend our rights .The right to life , the right to association, and the right to work .We must defend ourselves as individuals and as a collective belonging to a union under attack .

The only loss the bosses speak of is profit .It is clear that the workers have been the real losers during this five months and not the employer. These workers have not received the R12 500 they were promised and they fought for.

Those who have lost their houses and other properties for failure of payment will not be getting anything back now that the strike has ended and the agreement says nothing about them recovering their losses.

This Central Committee must undertake a deep and comprehensive analysis of the platinum sector. Obviously not in isolation of the mining industry as a whole.

Where the Central Committee observes any sense of victory for workers it must be able to say it so that NUM can extract lessons for the future.

Comrades, we also know that striking workers faced a shameful retreat by accepting the settlement less than the R12 500 they looked for. They had become too desperate.

Thus we believe that majority of workers were celebrating a return to work more than the settlement. In reality the pain and the losses they endured outweigh the benefits .I expect the Central Committee to unpack this in detail for our own lessons.

Construction sector

The National Union of Mineworkers defines itself as an ever growing revolutionary union believing in continuous recruitment. It must never forget that it is a fighting union that is how it earned its stripes in society.

That is why it went for a strike in the construction sector in 2013 while bruised it emerged victorious by signing a 12% wage deal for two years with SAFCEC.

This was a better double digit deal compared to what others in this sector settled for .This settlement has been promulgated into law and a huge victory for construction workers.

NUM went on strike at Zonderheide Northam Platinum mine for three months and came out with a better deal in 2014 .In this strike ask not about property destruction or loss of life because as put by the General Secretary of NUM ‘not even a fly was killed' .

Energy sector

NUM supports a radical transformation of the energy sector in developing a sustainable energy mix involving coal, solar, wind, hydro, and gas. However, the union does not support nuclear energy as part of the mix.

We believe the dangers outweigh the benefits .While we note that it could generate around 9000 megawatts of electricity the long term risks is undesirable .

Fukushima nuclear disaster is an important reminder about the inherent dangers of this venture to the environment and the human race. For example Hundreds of thousands of Japanese have been destructively and constantly affected by the Fukushima disaster, 160,000 fled from their homes and have been kept away by radioactive.

Furthermore 2014 marked the 28th anniversary of the Chernobyl calamity, one of the historic nuclear disasters in the history.

Furthermore, the economy of South Africa cannot afford to build a R1 trillion nuclear plant which will not benefit society in terms of job creation which is the current South African problem.

In this context we call on government and the ANC to review their pro nuclear stance seriously and delay any implementation towards this direction. We still believe the ANC is a listening organisation.

ESKOM

The Central Committee must spell out clearly a course of action NUM must take for ESKOM to take us seriously.

This entity has become a law unto itself and has broken all stakeholder relations. We must come out with a programme of action to bring it to its senses and reclaim worker rights.

Eskom must be stopped from proclaiming itself as an essential service with immediate effect. Over our dead body we shall not accept a pittance increase of 5.6% .We is a fighting union and our actions must define us that way.

Health and safety

We have entered 2014 and are about to go beyond it .Employers committed themselves to the objective of 2013 Zero harm in the mining industry.

While we note the commitment they have made we still believe that a lot more needs to be done by mining companies to create a safe environment.

NUM still believes the health and safety performance of a company must be the key result areas of the CEOs in their performance contract .We believe this will improve health and safety tremendously.

The central committee must note that Turkey arrested the employers for the mining disaster which resulted in the killing of 301 mineworkers recently. We have sent our representatives to Turkey as part of an IndustriALL solidarity delegation.

In as much as we were there to provide support we have also taken important lessons back home to infuse to our own health and safety regime in South Africa.

Furthermore, we call on the platinum belt employers to take precautionary measures for health and safety .The precaution should include facilitation of counselling for all workers and their families.

Framework agreement

A lot of energy was put in the process that resulted in the Framework Agreement for Sustainable Mining Industry entered into by labour, business and government in 2012.

This was an important intervention by the stakeholders in the mining industry in committing to resolve long standing challenges. It is important for the new Minister Honourable Ngoako Ramatlhodi not to lose sight of this process.

This is an important process that looks at many issues affecting the mining industry as a whole. NUM must call for full implementation of the framework including compliance thereof.

The transformation of the industry will provide a lasting solution to the challenges faced by mineworkers. We are aware that there are participants in this process who have refused to sign their commitment to the framework.

To protect our integrity we must also indicate that if any stakeholder who has not signed the agreement continues to be invited by the Department of Mineral Resources we stand ready to pull out of such a process .We will not be part to a process of double standards.

Peaceful coexistence

NUM has repeatedly indicated that it supports peaceful co-existence amongst workers of different trade unions. In promoting this it calls on the advocates of the law to ensure that all those who have used the activities of workers to discharge criminal agendas to be prosecuted.

We believe that the guilty verdict and sentencing of an AMCU shop steward by the name of Aaron Mavimbela to 20 years in jail for the murder of Jacques Naude who was killed during the platinum strike on 17 October 2011 is a beginning of the unravelling of the truth in the violence we have seen in the platinum belt.

Jacques Naude was an NUM shop steward at Woestalleen Coal Mine and the conviction sends strong message to vigilante unionists and their apologists.

We call on law enforcement agencies to accelerate all pending cases related to the attacks and killings of mineworkers in the platinum belt during the platinum strike.

Justice must be seen to be done and justice delayed is justice denied. We believe that workers should coexist peacefully and have the right to make choices freely without intimidation.

Housing and services

In his state of the nation address the President of the Republic has indicated that government will build housing and other services to rejuvenate mining towns in line with the October 2012 agreement between business, government and labour.

We welcome this because it has been our war-cry for companies to convert or upgrade hostels into family units, attain the occupancy rate of one person per room and also facilitate home ownership options for mine workers. This will restore the dignity of the workers.

Transformation

Transformation in mining, energy, and construction must be driven aggressively from now onwards .More companies have failed to put HDSA in the boards, executive, including senior and middle management levels.

We call on government to play an effective oversight role in enforcing compliance with all targets set out in the Mining Charter 2014.The failure to comply must result in the de-licensing of the culprits .

We must speak the language companies understand. We must also be prepared to march against government if it fails us in this regard.

We must intensify our war on Sibanye Gold for its commitment to undermine transformation. The Central Committee must generate a war plan to this effect.

Employee share ownership

NUM has been in the forefront of the economic empowerment of workers through employee share-ownership schemes.

We believe this is the best immediate and long term investment for workers. For instance the workers at Kumba received R500 000 each which was reduced to R350 000 after tax.

This was the best we have achieved as NUM for each worker and we are also aware that this great financial earnings for workers never received adequate media profile.

We believe the Kumba model should be spread to other companies. We will continue to push for this across the sectors.

The employee share schemes provides better protection to the finances of the workers compared to monthly cash on hand which is also important .

Thus NUM welcomes the commitment of the ANC government in promoting employee share ownership .This will promote integration of workers as key stakeholder within the value chain of the enterprise`s productive machinery.

ANC Electoral Victory

As NUM we welcome the ANC electoral victory registered on 07 May 2014.We call on the ANC not to sulk but responds to demands raised by our people during the elections campaign.

As NUM we do not condone the destruction of public and private property. Hence we agree that those found responsible for such acts must be held liable.

Furthermore, our salutations go to Satawu, Nehawu, Sadtu, Popcru and NUM to mention a few for their popular mobilisation during the elections campaign.

NUM has played an important role in North West and Eastern Cape to secure ANC victory .It joined hands with other unions in Gauteng.

However we remain worried for the decline of ANC support is some areas .We urge the ANC to take concerns of people in these affected areas seriously.

A programmatic political intervention is required before the forthcoming local government elections.

Marikana Commission

Without getting into the details of the commission we call on our members to find time to follow the process as it unfolds .It is our call that the commission should move towards finality .It has been running for too long.

Unity

We are stronger together is our theme for the year and especially at this event. This strength of togetherness should be built on unity, solidarity, trust, discipline, and action.

These are important to winning the war against our rivals .These are important in building a stable organisation .It also means that there is no space for sexism

, no space for tribalism and other destructive tendencies or practices .

Cosatu

NUM as a disciplined organisation is willing to give the ANC intervention process the necessary time it requires to resolve the challenges faced by the federation.

NUM believes that it will take a miracle to change the mind-set of unions that want to move out of Cosatu.

These interventions must not result in the federation being held at ransom such as sending out confusing messages which has been the case recently in relation to the platinum belt strike settlement outcomes.

If Cosatu has nothing to say in some instances it is best advised to keep silent. It must never be indebted to the media such that it finds itself forced to pronounce by hook or crook.

Tripartite alliance

NUM appreciates the support offered by the SACP and the two organisations must continue reinforcing each other ideologically and materially.

Together we must fight corruption in the public and private sectors .Together we have a responsibility to defend Cosatu.

Growing instability in Africa

NUM is concerned on the growing instability and violent killings in the African continent in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and Somalia to mention a few.

We know that families of the working class are on the receiving end in these conflicts. We also note that trade unions are adversely affected.

Thus we call on the African Union to do all within its power to facilitate peace and development in the affected areas. We will continue with our solidarity work in the continent within our means.

BWI Global Congress

The BWI Congress will be held in South Africa in 2017.NUM and other affiliates must prepare now to deliver a successful congress .We must also intensify the campaign against FIFA decision to hold the world tournament in Qatar.

CONCLUSION

Comrade, let us be thorough, productive, and engaging .None of us should hold back .NUM must come out of here a fighting revolutionary and ever growing union.

The giant must rise from slumber and it must use every scar it has endured as a reminder that if it does not squash its enemies its enemies will squash it.

It must not lose sight of the principal enemy which is the employer and of course it must define its secondary enemies who also play second fiddle to the principal enemy.

Most importantly let's come out here with a fighting programme that will take us to the battle field out of the boardrooms. In each sector we must have a street war plan.

We must have a street war plan for Eskom to defend our rights and earn better salary; we must have a good war plan for the construction sector .We must consolidate the battle plan for the mining sector to push for transformation, gender equity, and affirmative action.

Forward on all to the battle! AMANDLA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Issued by COSATU, July 2 2014

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