Phone: +27 (0) 830 123 543 Email: info@num.org.za Website: www.num.org.za
Members first
Phone: +27 (0) 11 377 2198/9 Email: tphoko@num.org.za Website: www.num.org.za
The National Union of Mineworkers Youth Structure (NUM YS) in the HighveldRegion will be marching on the 17th of June 2016. The primary purpose ofthe march is against retrenchments and job losses in the mining Sector thatdirectly contribute to youth unemployment.
The view of the NUM YS is that retrenchments are purported by rapaciouscapitalism in their nature capitalists are greedy and brutal, and theirlove for profit puts them in permanent paradox with the most advanced classthe working class.
In the main the rapaciousness makes them retrench willy-nilly in theprocess of retrenching the working class becomes causalities and victims.
Young people in particular in their majority are breadwinners and when abreadwinner is retrenched the entire family will be affected. It is uponthis background that the NUM YF in the Highveld Region has taken a radicaland militant decision to march and fight the brutality of monopoly.
According to Statistician-General Pali Lehohla the unemployment rate inSouth Africa has increased to 26.7 percent in the three months to March2016, from 24.5 percent in the first quarter and above market expectationsof 25.3 percent, it was the highest reading since September 2005 as anumber of unemployed rose by 10 percent, whereas employment fell 2.2percent. The above-mentioned narration is a clear repercussion amongstother of retrenchment that leads to job losses.
Capitalism uses retrenchments to maximise profits when their pockets arebecoming dry the first thing that comes into their minds is to retrench. Itis on that basis that we are saying Young Workers cannot be the victims ofmonopoly capital. Retrenchments in the mining impact negatively on thedowntrodden.
The NUM YS must emulate the fighting spirit of Students in 1976 and fightthe mining bosses.
*"We have seen that mining companies like Glencore and others put profitfirst and they do not care about our members. We have also witnessed theclosure of mines that led to retrenchments on the basis of profitmaximisation,"* said Thando Sambo, NUM Youth Forum Highveld ActingSecretary.
We, therefore, call upon the Progressive Youth Alliance led by the ANCYL,YCL and SASCO to mobilise its structures and members and be part of thishistoric march against retrenchment and job losses that lead to youthunemployment. The NUM YS believes that when components of the PYA areunited nothing is insurmountable together with our PYA structures we havethe capacity to weaken monopoly capital and defend job security of ourmembers and young workers in particular.
*The March will unfold as follows:*
* Date:* 17 June 2016 (Friday)
* Time:* 09h00
* Venue:* Lynnville Stadium, Emalahleni (Witbank), to Department of Labour
Members of the media are invited to attend and report.
*For more information, please contact:*
*Thando Sambo, NUM Youth Forum Highveld Acting Secretary, 083 677 6979 / 071 389 7135 *
*Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 083 809 3257 *
*Web: www.num.org.za *
Its birth was facilitated by comrades Cyril Ramaphosa who rose to be its first General Secretary, James Motlatsi who turned to be its first President, and Elijah Barayi who became its Vice President and later the President of Cosatu in 1985 when the federation was formed. porn