Letters to the editor

Dear Numsa NewsI would like to respond to a disturbing article published in Numsa News No 4 August 2008 on the Letters page written by Nkosinathi Ngwane from Defy Jacobs.

In his letter Ngwane mentions three issues which made me see a need to set the record straight.* the rumour he claimed he heard about Numsa planning to bring back Vukani Ngema to Ethekwini local offices.* mentioning a Numsa official's name in his article (Bonga Ngwane)* it is Ngwane's perception that Vukani's employment by Numsa will make Defy employees wet their pants.

On the first issue of the rumours I would like to state categorically that the so-called plan is far from the truth.

Yes I did apply for the organiser's post which was advertised by Numsa in June 2008 and I was short-listed and called for an interview like anyone else but unfortunately I was unsuccessfull. I've no doubt in my mind that the successful candidate was considered on merit.

I've worked with that comrade while I was local secretary and I know exactly what I'm talking about.On the second issue I just fail to understand the reason behind mentioning cde Bonga's name in that article.

Whatever the case might be I've always been against smear campaigns and I believe that discrediting or defaming anyone with the intention of promoting your interest or for those who are close to your heart is and always will be unfair.

That kind of behaviour goes against the spirit of comradeship and it can cripple the strength of the organisation if not condemned.

On the third issue, I would like to make it clear that should I be employed by Numsa (which I believe it should not be based on any form of favouritism) my job would be to serve Numsa constituency and not to settle the scores with Defy management or any of my foes because by so doing I would be stooping to their level which will be very unprofessional for me.

In conclusion, I appreciate Ngwane's willingness to work with myself and I'm not discouraging him to write to Numsa News but just warning about his choice of words and the impact his article might have on myself and any other comrades since we as human beings interpret different things differently.
 

I don’t want to be seen as someone who can use anyone or any method to campaign for employment because that's definitely not my style.

Lastly I'm looking forward to Ngwane's letter which will clear the air and rebuild the trust and strengthen the relationship with the organisation which has been damaged by this article but most importantly an unconditional apology to those who might have been affected like Bonga, Numsa and myself.Vukani kaMagulangafi Ngema

Dear Numsa NewsI write this letter to apologise for my letter that was published in Numsa News No 4 in August 2008 stating about the rumour about bringing Vukani Ngema to eThekwini local offices.

I would like to withdraw my statement because this came to me as a hand grenade as I used Vukani Ngema and Bonga Ngwane's names without contacting them.

Please understand me not politically. I raised my concern in order to support and show my interest in Vukani as I worked under his leadership while we worked together.

About Bonga – I used his name with an understanding that he might feel bad if I appreciate Vukani's leadership while he is in the position as our local organiser.Nkosinathi Ngwane

Dear Numsa NewsI just want to thank and share the wonderful time I spent with Numsa as a whole. My dedicated years as a Numsa member and shop steward was good experience.

I met different people in various Numsa camps. For me they are times I will never forget but it will never stop here.

I just want to add that the struggle doesn’t end after 20 years, it will continue. I just want to thank Numsa for the Certificate of Appreciation of 20 years service with Numsa.

I am still a Numsa member and will remain one until death will part us.ComradelyWillie Morris

Dear Numsa NewsSeeing that we as shop stewards understand and know how the heads of capital work, I was thinking that Numsa can also train and develop us as future organisers within our union.

And if vacancies open up within our local offices for organisers, then we as shop stewards can apply for such vacancies for those shop stewards who are serious in taking this union further in the struggle against high interest rates and poverty so as to make it a massive trade union for the 20th century.

Willie Morris(on the left) recieves his certificate from Isaya Maduna

The rat-raceWhen I opened my August Numsa News I saw a cartoon on page 2, the heading was "Caught in the rat-race".

When I saw that picture of that poor guy in debt I saw our people. How we struggle to survive, our payslips full of garnishee orders, banks phoning after us because our bonds are getting in arrears.

The crisis that we face today in the motor industry is very hard and tough on our members. They face short-time, layoffs and our loyal members are losing their jobs because of retrenchments.

Our members are so fed up and desperate to get out of the situation that they don’t even care about our union structures and procedures anymore like negotiating better packages etc.

It's really a sad story, but I think we as shop stewards committees should adopt a mentality where we should say when we as structures of this union are busy with some kind of negotiations, members should be disciplined members and not run behind the backs of their leaders and accept any kind of package by capital.

The time that everything was roses where some members were the people that contributed to their different companies, but when things go bad, capital easily forgets the good times, when profits were triple the current figures.

So loyal members of Numsa, let us not be misled by the English of capitalists!Where are we heading to?

The ones who must always suffer are the workers. It even seems that even if we go on stayaways that capitalist don’t care because they put our members on short-time or layoff for whatever reason.

I think we should start to go back to the days where capitalists felt the pain of strikes and stayaways.

The cry of the workers is "down with the high prices of food, electricity and fuel". And we should be taken seriously!

Lucien Windwaai, shop steward Bell-Essex Engineering, Port Elizabeth

Source

Numsa News