The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has raffled a few political feathers after the union identified Build One SA (BOSA), ActionSA, Democratic Alliance, Freedom Front, Patriotic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus, ACDP and recently-formed Rise Mzansi as undesirable political parties for thousands of its union members.
These political parties were identified by the union during a media briefing held at the Birchwood Hotel on Tuesday following a recent NEC meeting.
The union has also urged its members not to consider any independent candidates, adding that it became impossible to maintain a neutral stance following the recent developments in the country’s political landscape.
“Our decision on this question must serve as political guidance for workers and the working class, without deciding for them. Because as a union we are very clear that in any class-divided society, the dominant class that oppresses and exploits the working class, reproduces itself in the state and over time we have grown to learn that the state in a capitalist mode of production, is nothing but an organ of oppression,” Numsa said.
With the country headed towards the national and provincial elections in just over seven days on May 29, this has left political parties such as the ANC, EFF, MK Party, the ATM as possible choices for its members.
The union’s general secretary, Irvin Jim, indicated that some of the parties have chosen to be against the working class in the formulation of their policies ahead of the elections.
“What has become very clear over time in the post-1994 political breakthrough is that what we won was political power without economic power. And this is why in 2013 we said enough is enough, the working class must organise itself as a class for itself,” Jim said.
In 2019, the union launched a vanguard party, the Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party as a political party.
However, it has revealed that its party will not be contesting the elections which was why it has identified some like-minded party who will advance the interests of its workers.
“We cannot keep quiet and allow the working class to vote for their worst political butchers simply because we are not contesting this round of elections. Hence our adoption of this political posture of Numsa which we are announcing today, to guide the working class on how it should vote on the 29th of May 2024.”
Numsa said it has been left unimpressed by some of the political parties’ election promises as some parties manifestos are anti-transformation and backward.
“Faced with this crisis, as a union having listened and read some of the political manifestos, we have been dismayed by some backward and primitive measures from capitalist, right-wing political parties who are contesting these elections. Their mission and task is to attack all the hard-won gains of the working class,” it said.
Responding to ‘The Star’, BOSA spokesperson, Roger Solomons said the party has noted with Numsa’s public letter urging its members not to vote for the party.
“We have noted Numsa’s now public letter to members of its organisation, raising questions about Build One South Africa’s (BOSA) commitment to achieving a classless, equal society, built on shared prosperity and well-being of all South Africans.
“We understand that Numsa has its historical allies. However, we at BOSA believe that our vision for one, classless South Africa, does not contradict the vision that Numsa has been pursuing for decades, we view Numsa as a collaborator. We would like to invite Numsa to a meeting, or invite Numsa to peruse our manifesto for detailed programmes we feel can be implemented immediately to start closing inequality,” said Solomons.
Fred Nel of the DA said: “We take note of Numsa’s stance but we are not surprised as their leadership have always been aligned with the ANC. The DA’s view is that unions should leave their members to make their own political choices according to their own personal values and principles. We also call on all Numsa members to follow their own convictions before deciding who to vote for to rescue South Africa from unemployment, crime and corruption. The choice in this elections remains between more of the same and total change.”
In a statement, Rise Mzansi through its spokesperson, Mabine Seabi, said the party was calling for a dialogue over Numsa’s statements as this was a misrepresentation of what the party stands for.
“We believe that Numsa has misrepresented what Rise Mzansi stands for and the politics that we practice, which is anchored by the constitutional and social democratic values of freedom, equality, integrity, solidarity and justice. We therefore request a meeting with Numsa leadership to open a line of communication where we can fully detail what we mean when we articulate our vision of building a safe, prosperous, equal and united South Africa,” the party said.
The Star