NEC Statement
BACKGROUND
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) held its executive meeting at Elijah Barayi Memorial Training College in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 May 2014. The NEC is the highest decision-making body of the union apart from the Central Committee and the National Congress. It resolved on the following:
PRONOUNCENTS:
Organisational Matters
Deployment of NUM President to Parliament
The National Union of Mineworkers congratulates comrade Senzeni Zokwana, who led the union with commitment and dedication for a period of years . We wish him all the best.
We also congratulate comrade Madoda Sambatha who was a Regional Coordinator of NUM in Matlosana who is now a deployee of ANC in the Provincial Legislature of North West. Our best wishes also go to Boingotlo Nthebe a Regional Education Secretary of NUM in North West who is now a member of the National Provincial Council.
This is in line with swelling the ranks of the ANC which is a COSATU Congress Resolution. We believe that this also is consistent with the spirit to deploy to advance. As NUM, we have been spoiled by his wisdom and we are thankful to work under him and the NEC fully supports him to advance the course of the working class at a different angle.
Appointment of a President
The NEC resolved to appoint Thamsaqa Piet Matosa as the Acting President of NUM until the 2015 National Congress.
Central Committee Preparations
NUM will hold its Central Committee on the 02-04 July 2014. The NEC is of the view that this Central Committee should afford us the opportunity to embark on serious policy reviewal to contribute towards government interventions in line with some of its commitments to serve our people.
Membership growth
The NEC has noted the return of members who have indicated that they regret their departure in 2012. It calls on all its branches and regions to embrace the returnees. The NEC welcomes this as a good and positive sign to the fact in every experience there are lessons. They have learned that words can move mountain but experience is different
Research on the impact of H/S in mining, construction, and energy
The NEC noted progress on the research in all the three sectors i.e. mining, construction and energy operates in to establish the state of affairs in terms of health and safety compliance and embrace any new challenges. The outcomes will guide the NUM on how and where to intervene to improve health and safety of the workers .This should improve the safety and health of our members.
GENERAL INDUSTRY MATTERS
MINING INDUSTRY
The Platinum sector
Wage negotiations
NUM urges the parties involved to resolve the matters speedily in the interest of workers, mining communities, and the country.
NEC urges law enforcement agencies to apply the law effectively to restore safety in the mines and the mining communities. Violence must be removed; it is not part of collective bargaining.
Support to affected families
We urge all strategic philanthropic institutions and government to give support to the victims of violence particularly the families that have been affected for no cause of their own.
NUM deplores selective support so far that has been given to some victims in isolation of others. For example Lonmin provided support to all those killed by the SAPS in 2012 and has not extended the same treatment to subsequent victims of violence.
Continuous killing of workers
The NEC strongly condemns in the strongest terms the continuous killings of mineworkers in the platinum belt and most particularly the systematic killing of its members who have not been part of the strike.
In this regard the NEC makes a clarion call to all its members to exercise their right to go to work and most importantly it calls on all its members to exercise their right to defend themselves against ANY FORMS of violence and intimidation. The NEC calls on them to defend their families, their lives and property.
Gold sector
Acts of provocation in Carletonville
The leadership noted the distribution of placards in Carletonville which promoted NUMSA as a mining union which conflicts with its designated competency in terms of COSATU standing decisions. We call on COSATU to note this as in our view is intended to deepen conflict within the Federation. NUM views this as an act of provocation.
Campaigns against mining misdemeanour
Sibanye Gold
The National Union of Mineworkers will intensify its push for transformation in the mining industry. The union will embark on campaigns to stop the company from undermining affirmative action and gender equity commitments at the workplace. As part of rolling mass action the union will be challenging the dismissals of its leadership by the company.
Harmony Gold
NUM is also concerned that the company continues to undermine its commitment to the Mining Stability Framework .Most of its current conduct pits it again its commitment to the letter of the Framework and the NEC is losing trust in the credibility of the corporate leadership capability of the entity.
Mining Charter
NUM calls for full compliance with the Mining Charter. We are aware that companies prefer to play tricks in terms of statistical manipulation other than materially effecting change and transformation.
We believe that there should be consequences in this regard. The new administration has received a new mandate from the electorate and it must effectively use this legitimacy to the benefit of all, the workers, and the working class in general.
ESOPs
ESOP Model and International experience
The NEC took a decision to gather international experience on the best ESOP models which would adequately ensure workers benefit optimally from such arrangements in South Africa. This will offer the union better wisdom in contributing to the modelling of the South African approach to empower and benefit.
Tax Reviewal
NUM will submit a request to SARS Tax Policy Commission on exempting ESOP on all tax regimes. We believe this will support the endeavourers to embolden ESOPs as an inclusive empowerment regime.
Regular dividend pay-out
Regular dividend pay-out is important for transparency and in building trust by all stakeholders in the vehicle.
Standard guidelines for ESOPs
NEC resolved that the industry must adopt standard guidelines for the whole industry .The NEC also calls for all shares towards the ESOPs should be free.
Mining Development and Stability Framework
NEC calls for full implementation of the mining framework to assist in bringing about stability in the platinum sector. The NEC believes that failure to fully implement the agreement adds to the current turmoil in the platinum sector.
Mining Lekgotla framework
NUM is participating in the Mining Lekgotla to be held later this year. The preparations are underway in making sure that the engagements are fruitful for the advancement of the industry as a whole and South Africa at large.
ENERGY SECTOR
Electricity
We call on ESKOM to apply full capacity to avoid black-outs in this year 2014. The NEC calls on Eskom to resolve its dispute which has stalled electricity supply between Nelson Mandela Bay and affected businesses.
Construction
The NEC calls on the Minister of Labour to promulgate the 2013 Wage Settlement without delay as delay sends a negative message about the capacity of the state to deliver.
COSATU MATTERS
The NEC continues to believe that all measures should be given the opportunity towards restoring sustainable solutions to the challenges of COSATU. But the NEC also observed that within the Federation there are elements not ready to give opportunity to any kind of intervention and convincing them is the same as riding a dead horse.
NATIONAL ELECTIONS OUTCOME
NEC congratulates the ANC for winning the provincial and national elections in 2014 with exception to the Western Cape. The NEC calls on the new ANC administration not to take this electoral support for granted. But use it to deliver on its promises as outlined in the manifesto.
The NEC expects the ANC to deploy capable women and men and calls on those deployed to lead by good example and provide South Africans with quality service. We urge those deployed to find inspiration in the legendary words of Mahatma Ghandi when he said "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others". There must be no tolerance of poor performance including direct or indirect corruption.
INTERNATIONAL
The NEC supports the Turkish miners to an extent that NUM will be sending a solidarity team to join the IndustriAll delegation to Turkey.
The NEC condemns the kidnapping of the Nigerian girls .The NUM fully support the ‘Bring back our girls' .We fully support all mobilisation efforts for the return of the innocent girls.
Statement issued by Frans Baleni, NUM General Secretary, May 25 2014
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