DATE: 23 June 2005

Johannesburg Press release – for immediate release

NUMSA THRILLED WITH THE CHOICE OF THE NEW DEPUTY PRESIDENT.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) join a chorus of COSATU unions to compliment President Thabo Mbeki for appointing the new Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. Her appointment came at a right time when her skills and ability are mostly needed to take the country forward. She is an astute politician and friend of the metalworkers. She has always carried her work with zeal and wit. She always respected the role and participation of trade unions in the energy and minerals sector.

She never treated trade unions with contempt. In return , trade unions respected her role in steering minerals and energy policies forward. Her appointment is contemporaneous from the dedication , humbleness , decisiveness and consistency she has shown in the minerals and energy department. It was a great choice to strengthen the participation of women in South Africa. We applaud and say alibongwe igama lamakhosikazi.

We also stretch our hand to salute the other appointees like Lindiwe Hendricks , Rob Davies and Elizabeth Thabethe. The appointees have a great potential to boost their respective departments. There are many and varied challenges in the economy. We hope and trust that the appointees will be confident, committed and determined to take forward the task of addressing poverty and unemployment in South Africa. We wish them good luck during their term of office.

(For further information please contact Dumisa Ntuli -@ (011) 689 1700 or 0829737282)