NUM President Sets the Record Straight, Rejects Alleged Factionalism and Financial Impropriety Ahead of Elective Congress

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) rejects with contempt the headline-chasing narrative in recent media articles, which seek to sensationalize internal organizational matters. This is a desperate bid to discredit the union by faceless detractors.

“This is no time for side-show battles or newspaper theatrics,” said NUM President Dan Balepile.

He stressed that the upcoming congress is “not a battleground for political gamesmanship, but a platform for ethical renewal, unity of purpose, and ideological clarity. If ever there was a time for unity, calm, and revolutionary zeal, it is now.”

“Our focus must be to deliver a congress that reaffirms the NUM’s founding mandate, to protect workers, uphold democratic discipline, and strengthen our class position,” he said.

Setting the record straight, the President added: “The matter cited in the press is being handled with the gravity it deserves. We have unanimously mandated an independent forensic investigation in line with our constitution and internal accountability mechanisms.”

He added: “We will not pre-empt or ventilate the findings in public while the process unfolds. If wrongdoing is confirmed, the NUM will act, and the full might of the law will be unleashed to confront any foreign tendencies of crime and corruption.”

He called on all delegates, members, and leaders to rise above the noise and confront the genuine political and economic threats facing workers today.

“The world of work is under siege from technological shifts to legislative backtracking. The political terrain is volatile. Our congress must prepare for these real battles, not distractions born of manufactured crises.”

“For 43 years, unity has been our shield,” said Balepile. “Now is not the time to be swayed by keyboard revolutionaries or boardroom whisperers. The real struggle is fought daily on the shop floor, not in air-conditioned newsrooms,” he said.

While affirming NUM’s support for press freedom, President Balepile reminded all stakeholders that the NUM remains accountable to its members first and, thus, “won’t seek to grab media headlines at the expense of worker unity, which is sacrosanct.”

As the elective congress approaches, the NUM calls on all structures to uphold the principles of worker unity, democratic centralism, and, above all, ethical and revolutionary leadership befitting the stature of the union.

“We remain committed to leading with integrity and transparency, ensuring that the interests of our members always come first,” Balepile concluded.

Issued by:
NUM President, Comrade Dan Balepile

The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/10086002340216