Ntlokotse Vows to Continue Struggle Despite Expulsion from Numsa
Key Highlights :
Ruth Ntlokotse, President of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), has broken her silence after being expelled in her capacity as a member of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the federation's biggest and richest affiliate, earlier this week. In a scathing statement on Saturday, Ntlokotse vowed that the "struggle to win back the union from this bankrupt leadership" would continue, regardless of her expulsion.
On Thursday, Numsa's National Executive Committee had accepted the recommendation of a disciplinary hearing in Ekurhuleni to expel Ntlokotse as a member of the 330 000-strong Numsa. Ntlokotse was facing various charges of misconduct, with the recommendation coming from an independent chairperson, labour law specialist Charlie Higgs. She herself was absent from the hearing, having requested a postponement which was not granted.
Ntlokotse has been in Numsa's crosshairs for some time, having initiated a court challenge to have the union's national elective conference interdicted in 2022. She also mounted an unsuccessful attempt to have the conference and its outcomes declared null and void by the Labour Court. She and several other members were prevented from attending the conference due to suspension. In her court papers in July 2022, she argued that she and the other members had been barred because she was planning to run for the position of Numsa president.
Ultimately Andrew Chirwa was re-elected as Numsa president and Puleng Phaka was elected second deputy president – the position Ntlokotse previously held. However, she was elected Saftu president in May, and tensions with Numsa leadership over control of the union have been ongoing.
In her statement on Saturday, Ntlokotse called her expulsion "contemptible" and warned that expulsions in Numsa would "continue in the coming period so as to silence all those who are demanding internal democracy, worker control, accountability by the Numsa Investment Company and respect for the Numsa Constitution". She further said the union had "demonstrated their contempt for the interests of workers" by holding the disciplinary hearing at the same time Ntlokotse and other shop stewards were representing 387 workers in a section 189 labour consultation with the CCMA.
While the postponement had not been granted, Ntlokotse said that she had opted to put her consultation duties first. Higgs had said the "relationship between the parties is unlikely to be restored in this matter, especially given the fact that the member continues to undermine the union’s authority in respect of its decisions".
In the wake of the expulsion, Saftu said it was still discussing the matter internally, with spokesperson Trevor Shaku declining to comment in detail on Saturday. News24 reached out to Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Despite her expulsion from Numsa, Ntlokotse has vowed to continue the struggle to win back the union from its "bankrupt leadership". She has argued that the union has demonstrated its contempt for the interests of workers by holding the disciplinary hearing at the same time she and other shop stewards were representing 387 workers in a section 189 labour consultation with the CCMA.
It remains to be seen how Ntlokotse's expulsion will affect the ongoing tensions between Numsa leadership and Saftu. In the meantime, Ntlokotse has vowed to continue the struggle to bring about internal democracy, worker control, accountability by the Numsa Investment Company and respect for the Numsa Constitution.
