SAMWU Never Requested a Meeting with the EFF

4 February 2017

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has learnt with shock and surprise at the announcement by the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema that SAMWU has requested a meeting between the two parties to engage on issues relating to the City of Johannesburg, in particular the reintegration of Municipal Owned Entities (MOEs).

First and foremost, the lies and total distortions that the union is against the reintegration of MOEs has been clarified on many occasions that this was a deliberate attempt by the City of Johannesburg mayor to miscommunicate our position for his cheap and narrow political gains and his quest to divide and render the union dysfunctional in the region. Re-municipilisation  of municipal services has long been on our agenda as informed by our congress resolutions. 

We vehemently reject the assertion that we have requested a meeting with the EFF as we have no working relationship with the EFF whatsoever. It has since come to our attention that the alleged meeting was requested by disgruntled and now former Regional Office Bearers (ROBs) including former members of the union in the Greater Johannesburg Region. These individuals have long ceased to be members of the the union. 

For clarity purposes which have since been confirmed by the Judge Snyman of the Labour Court on the 14th December 2016, SAMWU ROBs in the Greater Johannesburg Region are led by khayalethu Nyathi as the Chairperson and Bafana Zungu as the Regional Secretary. This judgement came as the City of Johannesburg tried but dismally failed in their expedition to liquidate the union. The Judge further lambasted the City of Johannesburg for their attempt to interfere in internal affairs of the union.

We are further aware that these disgruntled individuals have been using the union’s letterheads, illegally and fraudulently directing communication to the employer and other parties disguising themselves as ROBs and of members of the union.

These disgruntled individuals are hellbent on setting us up against our alliance partners, in particular the ANC. We may not always agree with the ANC on certain issues which is why we regularly has discussions with the ANC on issues which we may disagree on. We therefore cannot have discussions with the EFF on any issue. We remain part of the alliance, a resolution which has been adopted and further reaffirmed by many congresses. 

Any communication from the Greater Johannesburg Region to the City and any party that is NOT signed off by Bafana Zungu as the Regional Secretary is therefore illegitimate and has no bearing on us. We also condemn the use of the union’s official letterheads by individuals who go around masquerading themselves as leaders or members of the union.

We therefore distance ourselves from such a request which has been illegally and fraudulently requested. Should such a meeting take place, it would not be a SAMWU sanctioned meeting and thus anything discussed and agreed on will not be binding to us. 

We will also be consulting our lawyers with the aim of seeking an urgent interdict against the fraudulent and illegal use of the union’s letterhead.

Statement issued by Simon Mathe, SAMWU General Secretary, 14 February 2017