Numsa accuses Cosatu president of inciting violence
THE National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) has accused Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini of inciting violence amid high tension in the labour movement.
The union said it was shocked by Dlamini’s comments last week when he said: “Call it a United Front – I call it the seven-headed snake.”
He was speaking at the Chris Hani memorial service in Ekurhuleni.
“Basically what Sdumo was doing was inciting violence. He said expelled general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and the United Front are like a snake with seven heads and he’s calling on the ANC and SACP to chop them, kill them, one by one,” Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said.
“I’m not sure how that will be interpreted by those who always take support for whatever belief they have into the extreme.”
But Dlamini rejected any interpretation that his comments about the seven-headed snake attacking the tripartite alliance were a reference to Cosatu unions.
“It has nothing to do with Cosatu unions. We have to engage on this. It’s not the first time talking about the seven-headed snake – I also used the term to refer to Agang,” he said.
Numsa’s accusations came soon after the killing of the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) Gauteng secretary, Chris Nkosi, on Monday night.His killing is believed to have been politically motivated.
Satawu spokesman Vincent Masoga told The Mercury that Nkosi was regarded as one of the most influential kingmakers ahead of the national congress this year.
The union suffered another scare on the same evening when the home of its president, June Dube, was petrolbombed.
Police said they were investigating both criminal acts.
But Numsa, in an unusual move, distanced itself from the crimes. It said past experience had taught it that it was the scapegoat for Satawu’s woes.
Jim said opportunists might suggest the attacks came from Numsa.