The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is disgusted by the comments made yesterday by Mr. Trevor Manuel at the World Economic Forum against labour.

If Mr. Manuel's utterances reflect the view and role of the national democratic state in relation to class struggle between labour and capital then the future of the working class and the poor is doomed. NUMSA shall not allow our national democratic state to be used in favour of capital at the expense of the workers and the poor. We reiterate our commitment to a radical National Democratic Revolution (NDR) that places the working class at the centre of its strategy and tactics.

We condemn in no uncertain terms Mr. Manuel's utterances.

We shall forge ahead, traverse the trenches and defy the odds in defence of the workers and the poor. We shall continue building and deploying our unity to confront the challenges that we are faced with.

Statement issued by NUMSA, June 12 2009

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