Salutes to all workers!
14 October 2015
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) salutes all its members around Gauteng province for a mother of all protests against the scourge of corruption in South Africa, and in defense of jobs in the steel sector, amidst the looming jobs loss bloodbath in this strategic sector of our economy. We thank workers in the private and public sector across all provinces who heeded Numsa's call to participate in the national strike today
The more than 50 000 plus Numsa members, joined by other trade unions, the United Front, community activists and supporters of the Unite Against Corruption Coalition (UAC) who took part in today’s national march gave a show of force and flexing of our muscles. Today’s action has shaken the profiteering class and political hyenas responsible for corruption and job losses in South Africa.
Even though NEDLAC tried to sabotage our initial socio-economic strike through the Section 77 notice we had initially applied for the 30th September 2015. Today’s action has buried those political maneuvers of undermining workers hard won right to embark on action.
We are emboldened by the fact that workers, irrespective of their union affiliation or employment conditions, swamped en masse the streets of Johannesburg. We also salute all the workers across the country who acted in solidarity with the marchers in Johannesburg, by embarking on stay-away and not report for duty.
We also take this opportunity to salute leaders from other trade unions; faith based organisations and political parties who joined the march in Johannesburg. It is through mass struggle that we can defeat corruption and reverse the job loss bloodbath in the steel industry and other related sectors.
More mass actions are being planned for the coming year, 2016. We shall continue the fight until final victory. In the coming few months we will be convening a Workers Summit, as a building block to the formation of a new, class orientated, internationalist, militant, campaigning and anti-capitalist Federation of workers, free from the pockets of politicians. Furthermore, the United Front (UF) shall soon be launched in order coordinate community struggles and shopfloor struggles.
Now is the time for the working class, to act as a class for itself, and build an alternative political organ, committed to the struggles and aspirations of the vast majority of our exploited people.
We thank the metalworkers who again demonstrated that they the metal that will not bend as they remain committed to their union’s resolutions and will soldier on to fight for them.
Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA national spokesperson, 14 October 2015
