Numsa rejects Ramaphosa backing
THE NATIONAL Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) yesterday rejected and expressed disgust at Cosatu’s endorsement of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as the future leader of the ANC.
“Numsa is disgusted that Cosatu’s central executive committee has endorsed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to take over as leader of the ANC and that it will be campaigning and lobbying to influence ANC structures to support its call,” said general secretary Irvin Jim.
“Numsa has already put on record its view that Cyril Ramaphosa is an enemy of the working class. He has consistently attacked workers’ hard-won gains and defended the interests of the exploiting capitalist class, most recently when he supported legislation to maintain poverty wages and the super-exploitation of black and African labour under the disguise of national minimum wage at a level which will leave millions of workers in wage-slavery.”
On Thursday, Cosatu’s central executive committee resolved to support and lobby for Ramaphosa to take over as the next president of the ruling party.
“We are mindful of the fact that we are not a voting structure of the ANC, but we represent workers, who are members and supporters of the ANC,” secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said.
The ANC’s 2017 national conference would see the party branches elect their preferred successor to incumbent Jacob Zuma, who is facing mounting pressure to step down.
Yesterday, the union said that Ramaphosa “attacked” the working class and they condemned his and Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant’s plan to impose limitations on the right to strike.
The union said that this would take away from the rights of workers, as enshrined in the constitution.