WINNING LETTER ! WINNING LETTER ! WINNING LETTER !

Dear Numsa NewsRecently concerns have been raised that the leadership of Numsa and Cosatu is nothing but a concoction of Xhosa speaking people.I beg to disagree.

Let me trace the genesis of this erroneous and dangerous assumption of tribalism. Back in the early days of the liberation movement, the liberation struggle was primarily led by Xhosa speaking people. The late Ingoapele Madingoane, writer, artist and author of “Africa my beginning my ending” explains clearly that when the white man came, wars were started. Xhosas were to fight them for nearly three centuries. Xhosas from the Cape were traditionally in the forefront of those wars. Certain missionary intellectuals started to build Fort Hare and Lovedale in the Eastern Cape. Due to that missionary education, Xhosa-speaking people had more opportunity and were regarded as “˜more-educated’ than other indigenous South Africans.

Therefore it was not surprising that liberation movements like the ANC, PAC, SACP, Azapo were led by Xhosa-speaking people. They never asked to be elected, but due to their leadership qualities and education, the masses elected them. Let us not forget the other top leaders who were not Xhosa-speaking people like Chief Albert Luthuli, John Langalibalele Dube and Onkgopotse Tiro of the Black Consciousness Movement.

So leave tribalism alone! Let the person who has leadership qualities and who is elected by the people take the position irrespective of whether he or she is Zulu, Sotho, Xhosa or Ndebele.

Vuyisile Fundakubi,VWSA

Dear Numsa NewsAny Numsa member is an educator as long as he/she is active.Activity goes hand in hand with education. One can claim to be an educator only when he/she is educated and active. Education encompasses a number of aspects: the purpose of a trade union is also encapsulated in the introduction of the course which is “Numsa”. Numsa to me is a curriculum itself that entails modules ie

National
Trade union
Metalworkers
South Africa

National – we as Numsa members need to be on board in terms of the challenges facing working class and together with our leaders have our hands on the strategising sessions, intended to craft a way forward.Trade union – we as Numsa members need to have a Numsa language. That means we must talk it.We as members must engage one another about workers’ continuous struggle. By doing so we will be educating one another and through that every Numsa member will be an educator.Metalworkers – it is essential for every Numsa member to understand issues in the sector that he/she works. That means be able to identify yourself in the bigger picture and know the challenges facing you.South Africa – we are inhabitants of this country. We need to make sure that we are recognised as not mere inhabitants but also that we add value to the country and ensure that our voices are heard.Every Numsa member is an organiser once every member is educated. An educated member can be engaged and convince an unorganised worker so that the unorganised become organised……..Amandla!!!

Kaya ka Yoko,VWSA

Dear Numsa NewsI have been reading Numsa News for almost 14 years. It is the first time to read about a comrade Baba who is concerned about gender structures. I’m so impressed that in our organisation we have such good leaders who are concerned about gender. Keep it up comrade Baba – let other comrades be serious and elect gender or female members in our structures as office bearers and regional leaders!

Lelizwe alisilo ilizwe ngaphandle kwamakhosikazi. Wathinta abafazi, wathinta mbokodo!Ntombikayise ka Zondo

Botshabelo local,Middelburg