ADDRESS TO CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF MINEWORKERS HELD IN ST GEORGE'S IN IRENE BY TREASURER GENERAL OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS. DR ZWELINI MKHIZE, May 23 2013
Comrade Chairperson of the session Comrade Mathosa
General Secretary of COSATU, Cde Zwelinzima Vavi
President of NUM, Cde Senzeni Zokwana
General Secretary of NUM, Cde Franz Baleni
Members of the Central Executive Committee of NUM.
leaders of. ANC COSATU. SACP
Revolutionary Greetings to you Comrades
I bring greetings from the African National Congress and the leader of our Revolutionary Alliance and appreciate your kind invitation to us to come and share a few words with you at this meeting of the Central Executive Committee of this gigantic union called the National Union of Mineworkers.
Such opportunities to interact with each other at this level can only auger well for us as they solidify the strong ties which continue to hold our enduring alliance together, in this year of unity in action towards socio-economic freedom as declared by our President Jacob Zuma on behalf of our Natonal Executive Committee during the historic January 8th statement that marked 101 years of the existence of our people's movement, the ANC.
IMPORTANCE OF MINING SECTOR
Comrade Chairperson
The NUM is our anchor labour ally in this very important sector of our economy, mining.
The mining sector accounts for roughly 5 per cent of GDP directly. Through its economic linkages with other sectors of the economy, this contribution increases to close to 18 per cent. In addition close to 60 per cent of South African exports are mining sector related (raw material plus beneficiated product). Mining companies also account for a large portion of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange capitalisation and attract significant amount of foreign inflows which help to finance the current account.
Current literature reports that the mining strikes of last year subtracted 50 basis points from growth in 2012 and additional 30 basis points from growth in the current year. If it was not for the mining strikes the economy could have created additional 57 750 jobs. It is possible for labour unions to have a different view on that issue. My point is largely that the sector remains a key sector of the South African economy with a direct impact as well as knock on effect in other sectors.
While the mining sector has recorded some recovery in the first quarter of 2013 (mining excluding gold, increased by 11.2 per cent quarter on quarter), the sector is still performing below its potential. Apart of the direct impact on economic activity, the mining sector has a strong indirect impact through its influence on other sectors of the economy and confidence. Confidence in the domestic economy drives households' consumption decisions, firms' production and investment decisions and foreigners' willingness to invest in South Africa. Mining has disproportionately high effect on confidence due to its large contribution to exports and large share of the JSE market capitalisation.
Comrade Chairperson
During the January 8th Statement this year, the President said: "mining has historically been the backbone of our economy and should still contribute meaningfully to our development."
"South Africa's endowment of mineral resources belongs to the people as a whole through state custodianship and should be governed by the democratic developmental state in the interests of all South Africans. Mining should therefore create safe and decent work and the extraction of minerals should not compromise local communities and the environment. To this end, we resolved in Mangaung that government should urgently conduct a comprehensive review of whether mining companies are meeting their obligations regarding social and labour plans, including those stipulated by the Mining Charter and the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA)."
It is unimaginable that our government can fulfil this important task without the close cooperation of a capable NUM as the voice of the majority of Mineworkers.
As you would know, the nationalisation debate was laid to rest at Mangaung. The conference, in its wisdom, rather instructed that there should be state intervention in the mineral sector with a specific focus on beneficiation for industrialisation. We resolved to strengthen the state mining company which will capture a share of mineral resource rents and equity.
With more than R20 trillion reserves, mining carries enormous potential for the economic advancement of this country.
This country is blessed with abundance of various kinds of minerals, for manufacturing, energy, agriculture and infrastructure. It boasts plenty of opportunities in downstream processing, as well as small-scale mining.
Mining is still occupies a prime spot as one of the biggest employers in the country, absorbing about a million people directly and indirectly, although we learn that its impact has declined in the past twenty years.
53rd CONFERENCE OF ANC
Comrades we have just emerged from a successful 53rd National Conference of the ANC in Mangaung.
Amongst resolutions we took was the necessity to strengthen unity within the ranks of the African National Congress. We resolved to deepen political education and strengthen discipline within the ranks, stamp out factionalism and opportunism and act decisively on comrades involved in bringing the ANC into disrepute.
The problems of greed as cause of in-fighting and abuse of power, fraud and buying membership will be confronted with firmness. You may have already seen that action has been taken to disband dysfunctional and ill disciplined structures and incompetent elected representatives. The NEC has in line with conference resolutions removed counsilors where there were irregularities in the 2011 local elections. Even in government prompt action in cases of irregularities has been ensured as we have seen in the example of officials involved in irregular landing in Waterkloof.
We believe the opposition has no power to destroy the ANC. But the ANC. Must clean all he dirt inside that may result in people losing confidence in the leadership.
Comrades
The ANC means business.
The message from branches of the ANC was that the ANC must ensure decisive leadership, not only within the movement and its alliance but to society as a whole.
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Most significant outcome of conference was the decision to support the National Development Plan.
Given the vastness of our reserves, this industry will play a very important role in delivering the 11 million additional jobs that we are envisaging for 2030, in terms of our National Development Plan.
It is fair to say that he NDP, representing our vision 2030, particularly the R3trillion infrastructure plan, rests largely on successful mining industry. The NDP has focus on creation of jobs and reduction of unemployment from the current 25% to 6%, reduce inequality, increasing our GDP by 2.7% and begin reversing the legacy apartheid. The resulting increase in manufacturing base will enhance beneficial ion of various commodities that are exported cheaply only to be imported again at higher cost. The NDP also focuses on nutmeg ration of the African economy as well as it enhances internal service delivery of basic services while focussing on combating social ills such as corruption, crime, abuse of women and children and creating a healthy and skilled population.
As part of NDP, the introduction of National Health Insurance will mean that the workers and the poor will have access to quality health care as their condition not their wealth dictates. Improving education, increasing skills training and creating two new universities will open opportunities for creation of wealth, grow the economy, create jobs and eliminate poverty.
While there may be issues for continuous debate and engagement, the African National Congress urges all South Africans to unite behind the plan because we recognize that there may be areas where some may express a differing view on some of its aspects. The fact remains that it will be for the first time that our country is managed on the basis of a long term plan that creates stability and continuity irrespective of leadership change. It should be seen as a step in the right direction.
National union of Mineworkers Champion for worker rights
Comrades
The National Union of Mineworkers has earned its reputation as a a progressive and revolutionary Trade union. The NUM was the first Labour Union to adopt the Freedom Charter and publicly championed the struggle for human rights freedom and democracy. The commitment to our National Democratic Revolution has been proven many times in the sacrifices and resoluteness that kept the NUM at the centre of both our struggle and of the Revolutionary Alliance as part of our federation COSATU.
The African National Congress since unbanning has been consistent to elect a Secretary General who has served as a NUM Secretary General. I am sure you understand what a special bond exist over and above being part of our the Alliance.
The current Labour Relations and Negotiating framework which regulates exercise of the rights of workers to bargain for better remuneration and conditions employment is a dispensation that was achieved by progressive trade unions led by COSATU. The ANC government will defend this right as part of the constitution that we all worked hard to protect.
NUM was known for its maturity in negotiations and militancy in fighting for better conditions for their members and understood that there is a relationship between the improved lives of workers and a growing economy.
Comrades there is a difference between militancy and anarchy that we see growing in newly formed mining unions supported by the ultra leftist groupings that are active in the North West Province.
It pains us comrades to see this labour relations and negotiation framework being undermined and destroyed through anarchy, violence, intimidation murders and illegal wild cat strikes as is happening in the mining industry.
Inevitably the anarchy will result in many jobs being lost and the economy declining.
INSTABILITY IN MINING SECTOR
Comrades
The mining companies must not be allowed to give in to scare tactics and make settlements on basis of intimidation and settle on unprincipled and unreasonable demands for fear of vigilante tactics.
The lesson from Marikana is that government, mining companies and labour unions must work together and cooperate to ensure that the miners are rewarded appropriately for their labour and communities benefit from the wealth underneath the land of their birth. Government needs to ensure that no negotiations are conducted through pangas and spears. Hopefully some of these matters will be addressed through the Farlam Commission.
While competition with mutual respect is expected amongst labour organisations in every industry; the hatred and bitterness of AMCU members demonstrated when they brandished weapons and sang "Zokwana siyamzonda asazi siyombulala kanjani" was a chilling. We can't allow such bitterness, hostility and public display of weapons. We thought that we left all violence and blood curdling hate speeches in the past.
Respect for the law and human rights for all must be the basis on which we all act, irrespective of how strongly we feel about issues of our interest.
In addition, the inability to resolve the labour problems in the mining sector are seen as a sign of a bigger economy wide problem, which may spread to other sectors. This is increasing the level of uncertainty amongst economic players and their reluctance to invest in the domestic economy.
Mining companies must be asked to contribute to the building of skills of black youth as mining engineers, geologists and various other aspects of mining industry to ensure full empowerment not just shareholding on basis of a black colour of skin yet incapable of adding value in growing the industry.
UNITY OF ALLIANCE
The ANC believes our success in creating stability and growth depends on maintaining the unity of our Revolutionary Alliance.
All of us must continue to work for the unity of the alliance and all its components. We ought to shy away from actions which suggest that we never fully grasped the circumstances and material conditions which gave birth to the alliance; actions which suggest that we never understood the scientific explanation of the alliance given by our stalwart, President Oliver Tambo when he said:
"Ours is not merely a paper alliance created at conference tables and formalised through the signing of documents and representing only an agreement of leaders. Our alliance is a living organism that has grown out of struggle. We have built it out of our separate and common experiences."
This should remind us that the unity of the alliance is paramount and nothing should be allowed to disrupt it. It should remind us that our unity resembles our commitment to the fulfilment of the revolutionary tasks history imposed on us and ultimately to the achievement of the objectives of the revolution.
Disunity in the alliance makes us incapable of fulfilling our historic mission of lifting our people out of conditions of poverty, unemployment and inequality. Disunity in the alliance gives our common enemy the space to manoeuvre and portray itself as the suitable home for our people. We need to declare war on divisive elements and defend the unity of our alliance with everything we have. Once again, President Tambo warned about these divisive elements when he said:
"Be vigilant, comrades. The enemy is vigilant. Beware the wedge driver! Men who creep from ear to ear, driving wedges among us; who go around creating splits and divisions. Beware the wedge driver! Watch his poisonous tongue!"
Comrades
I must mention that the unity of the alliance depends on the unity within all its individual components. It is in this context that we must emphasize that COSATU must rise above the challenges it is confronted with today and remain strong and united in the interests of the millions of workers who see in it the indispensable defender of their inalienable rights. As an important affiliate union of COSATU, NUM should do all it can to defend the unity of COSATU.
We must defend the unity of COSATU at all cost and allow nothing to divide us.
A divided COSATU will weaken the entire Alliance!
This CEC meeting takes place just less than a week after the National Executive Committee of the ANC concluded its own meeting held over three days at Saint George Hotel, in Irene. That meeting considered the situation of the trade union movement in our country and concluded that the attack on NUM and Satawu is an attack aimed at weakening COSATU and therefore undermining the African National Congress and our Congress movement as a whole. We therefore resolved that we will develop a comprehensive programme of engagement with individual COSATU unions in order to understand their challenges and determine how we can all best respond to these.
This meeting, in light of the challenges which I need not repeat, has got a responsibility to ask and answer the difficult questions of how we should all understand the developments at Lonmin where NUM has lost the majority to Amcu. We should honestly ask ourselves what role we may have played to create conditions that are conducive for the formation of a new union which, however reactionary it may be, seems so attractive to our constituency.
We need to answer the questions of whether we allowed the development of social distance between our leaders and the ordinary workers; and whether the perception that our material conditions do not allow us to vociferously address the continuing plight of mineworkers has got any merit.
These are questions we must ask and answer in order to find a sustainable way forward. As the ANC, we are concerned that the attack on COSATU unions and the formation of new rival unions is connected to the broader attack on the ANC itself. This is how we understand the formation of the so called Workers and Socialist Party (Wasp) which was preceded by the formation of Amcu. We understand these developments as part of the propaganda advanced by immature leftwing idealists that the ANC has become anti-workers and therefore should not continue to lead society. We must all work hard to regain lost ground.
Comrade Chairperson
Let me conclude by reminding this meeting that next year is elections year. We will have the 5th democratic general elections which will also mark the 20th anniversary of our democratic breakthrough. All of us will have to work hard once again to ensure that our glorious movement, the ANC gets a 2/3 majority in order to swiftly implement its progressive policies without the anti-majoritarian tendency rearing its ugly head all the time.
The overarching theme that should guide our elections strategy as the alliance is maximum unity, one message, many voices!
The ANC will continue to hold NUM in highest of regards.
Out of NUM has come leadership in the past we expect the same in the future!
Go out and mobilize for a strong NUM !
Go out and mobilize for a strong COSATU!
go out and mobilize for a strong ANC!
VICTORY IN 2014!
Let this CEC prove that NUM is here to stay!
Thank you very much for your attention
Amandla!
Issued by NUM, May 23 2013
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