On the occasion of the Numsa 20th anniversary Gala Dinner to be held at the Emperors Palace on the 19th May, our giant Metalworkers union will be graced by the presence, in its midst of the ANC President Thabo Mbeki.
In addition to the presence of the ANC, this occasion will be addressed by the President of Cosatu, Willy Madisha and the Numsa 1st Deputy President, Ben Khoza. In his address, Ben Khoza will in the main emphasise the role that this union has traveled in its 20 years of existence as a beacon of hope to thousands of metalworkers, and a strategic thinker in the Cosatu federation.
We salute a union that has made its mark in international trade union affairs. It remain a union that has contributed immensely to the current political dispensation in our country.
Other dignitaries and cabinet ministers, include Public enterprise Minister Alec Erwin, who is billed to address senior government officials, mayors, big business and ANC/Cosatu/SACP alliance leadership.
The significance of this occasion will certainly reverberate throughout the country as Numsa regions in Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Northern Cape hold a series of celebratory rallies to mark the metalworker’s renewed determination in this 2nd decade of democracy to advance the struggle of fundamental transformation in the workplace and society at large.
Tens of thousands of metalworkers and other union activists across the country will turn out in their numbers at these celebratory gatherings to affirm their commitment and confidence in building a society free of racial oppression and economic exploitation.
Our theme for this year’s collective bargaining attest to, “Confronting the logic of capital through collective bargaining.” These rallies would also serve as another opportunity to mobilize our members around the significance of this theme.
Numsa which remains the largest metalworkers union in the continent, continues to share deep and profound responsibility with progressive forces to ensure unity in the fight against the negative aspects of globalization and the marginalization of developing countries by the developed world. This is a struggle that we will continue to wage with the rest of the progressive trade unions and other formations around the world.
“This year marks a turning point in the history of metalworkers, and the need to celebrate 20 years of militant struggles and unity outweighs any other challenges that we had faced, and which we continue to face today, said the General Secretary of Numsa, Silumko Nondwangu.
We must ensure that Numsa continues, Nondwangu also pointed out, to grow and to become a union of choice for all metalworkers in South Africa. With 216.000 members, we have turned the corner in the last 20 years and we are reaching our potential.
For more information contact:
Mziwakhe Hlangani, Numsa national information officer
Cell phone: 0829407116
E-mail :mziwakheh@numsa.org.za
Web site: www.numsa.org.za