New Nehawu chair calls for unity to grow organisation
Former Matthew Goniwe Nehawu regional chairperson Noluthando Masango, who was appointed the new provincial chairperson last Thursday, says being elected to the position without a contest reflects the confidence Nehawu members have in her.
Masango, who was nominated during the 13th Eastern Cape provincial congress under the theme Strengthen Workplace Organisation, Deepen Class Consciousness and Advance Internationalism, follows in the shoes of Siyabonga Kobese, the former acting chair.
Addressing union members at the conference, Masango said the new executive was given a new mandate which they were expected to carry out diligently.
The chair said the implementation of the conference resolutions would rest on maintaining unity and stability in the organisation.
“We do not need an organisation united under a name, but not in practice,” she said.
She said the leaders were not given a mandate to make themselves relevant, but to help grow the organisation and not divide it.
“As leaders we have to be factual, not factional, but when people want to be heard they tend to be factional.
“This not only speaks to the newly-appointed Nehawu executive, but to branches, to the highest level.”
She urged members to be united and not waste time on fruitless issues.
“Being elected does not mean one is an authoritative source of knowledge,” Masango said.
“We must not perceive ourselves as a thinktank of everything that is happening.
“If we do that, we will be exposed.”
She said the conference resolutions would be shared throughout the organisation, particularly the branches.
“The previous theme was build, because we have to build the organisation first.
“Our next step was to strengthen the organisation, but we will not be able to if we do not provide quality services to branch members.”
One of her goals was to ensure the struggle for women’s emancipation was properly understood as part of the broader struggle for socialism.
Another goal was to fight against the life of poverty that members and workers were subjected to, she said.
The moratorium on filling posts, the revision of pay progression rules and occupation specific dispensation were her other concerns.
Masango also said she would focus on the refusal to implement salary increases in the next three years.
Matthew Goniwe regional secretary Mvuyisi Siko said: “We congratulate the chair on her election as provincial chairperson.
“We have the utmost confidence in her capability and ability to lead a collective.
“We are very proud of our mbokodo [rock] and pledge to support her and her collective for the remainder of their term.”