NUMSA STATEMENT ON COMMENTS MADE BY DEPLORABLE BACKWARD-LOOKING LEADERSHIP OF COPE

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) notes the opportunistic stance taken by so called leadership in COPE yesterday calling a press conference to lambast the President of the ANC and Republic Jacob Zuma (see here).

President Zuma voluntarily apologized to the liberation alliance and to the rest of the country about the matter of fathering a child and he took full responsibility for his action, he did this even though it could be argued that this is a personal matter.

All morally sound, progressive and decent human beings accepted his apology, because they know that the only person who doesn't commit mistakes is a person that does nothing. Those with religious convictions would know that in religion an acknowledgement of wrongdoing and repentance suffices to forgive the wrongdoer.

Yesterday, Numsa was extremely shocked to see the so called leadership of Cope in a press conference judging President Zuma and deciding his faith on the basis of morality, they went further to call for his resignation.

Numsa is disturbed by such self imposed morality by Cope because it opportunistically ignores the irresponsible neglect of COPE leaders who fail to acknowledge and support children they conceived out of wedlock. What hypocrisy. South African society can never subscribe to this self-seeking morality.

We must ask what happened to the morality of COPE opportunists that plotted for years to wipe out our national liberation movement. They didn't bother then to ask what will happen to the ANC's historical mission which is to liberate the majority of the peoples of this country black people in general African in particular. They were ready to destroy Cosatu and SACP the only spear and the shield for the exploited working class in factories, in mines and on farms. They indeed wanted to lay to rest our political insurance of the working class the vanguard party (SACP) with a black bag in a boot of a car. They claimed that they were doing this in the interest of the working class and the poor.

The people of this country refused and abandoned them in the polls. As if this was not enough they went and formed alliances with worse reactionary rightwing imperialist- inspired political parties like the DA as they did in Sandton when they launched political party.

It took their youth wing couple of few months to realize that these guys are about themselves not the people. All of the COPE leadership went to parliament and no one was willing to work full time on their impossible vision to build and realize this so-called mass organization that seeks to destroy the African national congress.

The real reason for such a big delegation in their press conference was to parade and to pageant themselves not on the president of the ANC issue but to embark on a cheap campaign and appear to be doing something for Cope.

To win votes for their coming electing conference in May 2010, a conference that was forced against their will instead of dealing with issues raised by their youth, their confused Terror Lekota instead became a Stalinist and are now jumping on the Jacob Zuma issue purely to position themselves in their sectoral right wing reactionary party this is hypocrisy at its best.

What Numsa reject is their use of morality when many of us who are using revolutionary morality regard them as sell outs (Impimpi) who sold out our own movement.

To them the blood that was shed and of millions who had died in the line of duty, in prisons, hostels, in the hands of the police state, in class rooms, in many notorious massacres inside and outside of our country, those who were poisoned, those who were bombed and killed in our camps in exile meant noting.

Above all they openly work hard to liquidate the ANC of Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, and Chris Hani, Lillian Ngoyi, Joe Slovo and all martyrs of our struggle.

Nelson Mandela in his life time he had to witness such soldiers of fortune in the field who were willing to sell and destroy the movement he built for many decades and few years since he voluntary gave it to them, a movement that he and many others cherish its vision and if need be they were willing to die for.

 He had to spend 27 years toiling in jail to realized victory of freedom and within a period of 15 years they were willing to give back to oppressors and openly say it is no longer needed  working  openly with the enemy camp.

They are pointing fingers at President Zuma whilst all of them including Smuts Ngonyama are less than candid on the subject that they are talking about. If the matter is related to the individual conduct of personalities, the media must ask them whether they are willing to have an audit done on their personal sexual history.

Numsa members and broader society should remember that it was Sam Shilowa who in parliament opposed the nomination of Cde Zuma for President of the Republic when the entire opposition parties ignored their foolishness. We shall never be fooled by non political entities.  

Statement issued by Irvin Jim, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa general secretary, February 10 2010

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