LIMUSA NEC STATEMENT

04 May 2017

The Successful National Executive Committee of LIMUSA

The Liberated Metalworkers Union of South Africa held a successful NEC and the capacity building workshop from 28-30 May 2017. The meeting deliberated on organizational building, the growth of the union, the quality service to members, the skills development landscape, the state of our federation, the state of the Alliance and the its components, the political epoch in our country and the world. Delegates from 8 provinces representing close to 10 000 members spent three days discussing the challenges faced by metalworkers in the workplace and in society, the federation and all the formations of the liberation Alliance.

The growth of LIMUSA

The NEC stressed the importance of building a service oriented and militant metalworkers union in order to keep the members we have attracted to the union. The experience we have accumulated in the last two years have shown that first and foremost, workers want to be serviced without fail by the officials and shop-stewards.

The NEC urged the leaders to invest more energy into capacity building for officials and leaders for service to members to improve. The NEC want to thank members who have stayed put in LIMUSA despite attempts by unions with money promising them material benefits. LIMUSA has adopted a target of 15000 members by end of the year to gain access into all the bargaining councils in the country where we are organised.

The NEC was disturbed by the decline of organized workers in South Africa. The information shared by the President of COSATU that organized workers form atiny fraction of the 16 millionworkforce in South Africa was a sad eye-opener for LIMUSA. Even more sad was to realize that these is a global phenomena.

The NEC was disturbed to receive a sad state of affairs in the biggest bargaining council named MEIBC. The bargaining council are critical for the labour peace in South Africa and they must be strengthened. The raising of the treshhold for entrance like it has happened in MEIBC does not help to make stronger councils, instead it promotes exclusion of many workers and play into the hands of employers like NEASA. The NEC calls on labour delegates in the councils to reduce the entry requirements to accommodate thousands of workers that are outside the councils.

On immediate campaigns

The NEC impressed upon the union leadership to ensure full participation of LIMUSA in the coming COSATU Campaigns. LIMUSA appreciated the support from COSATU and other organizations in the Alliance. The NEC endorsed the campaign against etolls, the campaign against corruption, the campaign against state capture and the campaign to fight for decent work.

The NEC was concerned that COSATU has not taken forward the campaign on the ANC succession debate with the same energy as in 2007. The NEC touched on ANC succession that is taking place and advised that unity must preoccupy leaders that are discussing the leadership question. The NEC reminds all leaders of the Alliance that 2007 gave birth to Cope and 2012 Conference gave birth to Cope hence the humbly call for inclusive discussions for the coming conference in the interest of the ANC.

The NEC noted with concern that the liberation Alliance has not developed a clear and open succession plan. This failure must be corrected with immediate effect because it leads to the challenges we see in all our organizations during the conferences. The lack of succession plan has also affected the graduation of younger leaders into the officials of the ANC. LIMUSA strongly believes younger leaders must be accommodated in the leadership that will emerge in December and no factional based discussion must take place.

On COSATU

The NEC noted that COSATU is coming from two tough National Congresses that took place last year. The NEC appreciated the work of the NOBS of COSATU despite the challenges of declining membership. The NEC stressed the role of LIMUSA in returning metalworkers in the fold of the federation. The NEC noted that public sector unions have generously supported LIMUSA and hope to get support from other unions in the manufacturing sector. The NEC noted with concern that the challenges of declining membership is affecting the federation.

The NEC noted the formation of a new federation based on lies about COSATU and LIMUSA. LIMUSA calls on all COSATU affiliates to defend their factories against the new federation that had a certificate before members. This is a “federation” that fought in their launching congress for positions. It must not grow, workers must reject its advances.

The NEC wishes COSATU a successful Central Committee

On the SACP

The NEC wishes the SACP a successful congress this year.

The NEC showed concern that there seems to be challenges amongst the members of the Alliance. The NEC was disturbed to note the DA march that was joined by leaders of the SACP. The NEC warned against tactical manouvers that can cause confusion in the rank and file. The NEC calls on COSATU and SACP to continue with their engagements with a view to remove doubts about their unity of purpose in the eyes of workers and society.

The NEC impresses upon the SACP to continue to play the vanguard role in pursuance of the NDR. LIMUSA NEC calls upon leaders to ensure that the NDR is not off-track and it is pursued until its logical conclusion. NEC commits to a socialist South Africa in our lifetime.

The NEC urges the SACP to remember the importance of a united Alliance against white monopoly capital as it approach its important conference.

On the ANC

The NEC wishes the leader of the Alliance the successful policy conference in June this year and the successful national conference in December this year.

The NEC requests the ANC to act as leader of the Alliance by working for the unity of the Alliance. The NEC calls on the ANC as the leader of the Alliance to call on the urgent Alliance Summit that must frankly discuss the challenges and find solutions that will unite the Alliance once again.

On the Alliance

The NEC strongly believes the Alliance is relevant now like it was against apartheid. LIMUSA urges all our leaders to set aside their prejudices and work hard to resolve all contemporary challenges. The NEC believes not one organization of the Alliance can execute the NDR without the other.

On the radical economic transformation

LIMUSA believes time is now for radical economic transformation to take place. The debate that is based on factional postures cannot strengthen the cause for the black population that continues to suffer due to poverty, unemployment and inequality. LIMUSA calls for cessation of hostilities between the left axis of the Alliance and a common approach on how to implement radical economic transformation.

On the expropriation of land

LIMUSA supports expropriation of land without compensation. Unless convinced otherwise, the NEC see no prospects for those who have enriched themselves on the basis of our land given it back without resistance. The NEC hopes that black parties in parliament will still find each other before 2019 to amend the constitution to allow for radical economic transformation including the issue of land expropriation without compensation.

On the international issues

The NEC resolved to support the struggle of the Palestinian people, and urges LIMUSA members to join the program that has been proposed by BDS.

.to promote worker to worker contact for LIMUSA members.

Statement issued by Cedric Gina, LIMUSA, 3 May 2017