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20 October, 2008
ICEM’s Sub-Saharan African Affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers’ of South Africa (NUMSA), held its Eighth National Congress in Vanderbijlpark near Johannesburg from 13-16 October, and elected former rubber worker Irvin Jim as General Secretary. The Congress marked the 21st year of 264,000-member NUMSA in South Africa, and over 800 delegates attended.
Second Deputy President Cedric Gina was elected President, following the retirement of Mthuthozeli Tom, who has been the union’s longest serving President. Phil Bokamba was elected First Vice President, while Christine Oliver won elected as Second Deputy President. Gina is from NUMSA’s KwaZulu-Natal Region, and was a key figure in protests against high electric costs by Eskom this past summer.
NUMSA President Cedric Gina
Irvin Jim, 40, has been NUMSA’s Eastern Cape Regional Secretary since the year 2000. He had been active in the Youth League of the African National Congress (ANC) in Port Elizabeth, and began his employment at Firestone Tyre there at age 23 in 1991. Three months after becoming employed at Firestone, he was elected as a full-time shop steward.
In 1994, he became the Eastern Cape Region’s provincial chairman, and served in that post for six years. He has proven to be a strong and outspoken regional leader, as evidenced by recent leadership on behalf of striking NUMSA members at Shatterprufe Glass and Schnellecke SA, an auto-parts logistics provider. At the auto-glass plant, a major supplier to Volkswagen in Uithenhage, workers have been striking since September, mainly over wages and the fact that 60% of the workforce is comprised of employees supplied by labour brokers.
Jim has demanded, at the bargaining table, that Shatterprufe abolish labour brokers, because workers of such agencies “do not enjoy all benefits as stipulated in the Labour Relations Act and Basic Condition of Employment Act.”
Following his election on 15 October, Jim told a South African publication, “We will not compromise when it comes to the overall well-being of our members, because we are tired of seeing capital reaping the sweat of our labour.”
He won election over incumbent General Secretary Silumko Nondwangu by gaining a 58% vote of delegates. Karl Cloete won election as Deputy General Secretary, and Philemon Shiburi was re-elected National Treasurer.
The Congress saw an address by Jacob Zuma, the ANC president, on 14 October. Zuma said the ANC’s election platform next year would focus on accelerated land reform. “We will work to intensify our land reform programme to ensure that 30% of the land is on the hands of the rural poor by 1014,” Zuma said.