The Mail and Guardian errs in its reporting

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) notes the misrepresentation in today ‘s Mail and Guardian newspaper under the headline "Face-off in alliance" (see here). The article says " At the same time leaders of two Cosatu affiliates told the Mail and Guardian that  Cosatu unions had not authorized Vavi ‘s call to Nzimande, which he made after the federation ‘s central executive committee (CEC) meeting last week".

Cosatu affiliates have never in history sought to macro-manage the federation to the extent of "authorizing press statements". The article gives an impression that the NUM is one of the two affiliates that are unhappy with the COSATU General Secretary ‘s statements on the SACP General Secretary.

The NUM General Secretary ‘statements were taken out of context by the journalist concerned as he raised the issue of public spats emanating from the discussions at the NUM National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.  The NEC of the NUM called on all alliance leaders to refrain from public spats and engage each other as allies will do and further called on all parties to raise their concerns at the Alliance Summit planned for next month or in bilaterals. The NUM believes that all alliance partners are independent bodies and each partner should seek to influence others through proper channels and platforms.

 Thus,the statement that there has been no decision to urge Nzimande to return to the SACP as contained in the report is totally out of line and a gross misrepresentation of the views of the NUM General Secretary. The NUM calls on the Mail and Guardian to be more circumspect in its reporting. The NUM is part of the COSATU leadership collective and any decision taken by the collective is a decision of the federation which includes the NUM.

Statement issued by the National Union of Mineworkers, December 3 2010

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