BACK TO BASICS
Members First

 Phone: +27 (0) 830 123 543
 Email: info@num.org.za
 Website: www.num.org.za

Friday , March , 29 2024
Subscribe to our News
Name

Search
NUM News
15

NUM won’t participate in the Marikana commemorations tomorrow

posted on

By Lesiba Seshoka

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) took a firm decision to not be party to tomorrow ‘s commemoration of the Marikana tragedy. The decision is based on the fact that there was consensus between the NUM, AMCU, Solidarity, UASA and various other stakeholders including the mining companies that Deputy President of the country Kgalema Motlanthe ‘s office would organize the commemorations. The organisation of these commemorations has since been hijacked by the so-called Marikana Support Group and the programme filled with only opposition political parties.

The NUM had initially welcomed the gesture shown by the AMCU President in inviting its President to be party to these commemoration to ease tensions. The signing of an exclusive agreement that seeks to marginalise all other trade unions does not only go against the peace accord entered into by the parties but also heightens the perennial tensions that hovers over Marikana. Thus, the good intentions of the AMCU President are muddied by the “winner takes all” agreement and the unilateral hijacking of the commemorations. The NUM has no gripe about AMCU ‘s recognition as a majority union but has qualms about the raising of the threshold to 30% to the disadvantage of all other unions. Traditionally, the mining sector has always been a multi-union environment where smaller unions with as little as 3% membership have co-existed with the NUM irrespective of its majority.

Having pondered on all these, the National Union of Mineworkers saw it fit to not be party to these commemorations as well as to desist from organising separate commemorations as these may fuel tensions.


Source Url: http://www.num.org.za/News/tabid/91/entryid/5/NUM-won-t-participate-in-the-Marikana-commemorations-tomorrow.aspx
Categories: NUM | Tags: | Comments: (0) | View Count: (12374) | Return

Post a Comment

About Us
The National Union of Mineworkers was founded in 1982.

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