Confronting the legacy of apartheid remains vital for South African workers

NUMSA leadership has never shied away from criticizing South Africa democratic government led by African National Congress (ANC), the ruling majority party, and Irvin is no different. He believes some of the ANC's strategic decisions were erroneous. While he does not deny the victory the democratic breakthrough represents, Irvin believes ANC government needs to take responsibility for South Africa's growing inequality and the fact that infrastructure, education, water resources and health systems remain unfairly distributed across the societies of South Africa.

In 1995 South Africa was granted membership in the World Trade Organization, and according to Irvin it cost South Africans many jobs as liberalization of trade destroyed industries. "Under the ANC government, exchange control was removed with the hope that the capital will come and make investments. Instead the capital took money from the country and invested it in stock exchange speculations and no real investment happened in productive sectors of the economy," says Irvin.

The fall of apartheid removed legal differences between the rights enjoyed by white and black South Africans, but "access to those rights for people is determined by their economic position in our society," says Irvin.

As South Africa grapples with the impact of the global financial crisis, Irvin is also critical of the double standards of government and business and their "casino" attitude to the economy. For years NUMSA has been calling for nationalisation in the interest of South African people, to no avail. However, now when the banks are in crisis, government and business have been willing to nationalise debts. Meanwhile profits remain private. Opposing this approach and calling for new solutions will be a priority for NUMSA under Irvin's leadership, along with other long-standing campaigns including opposition to the spread of precarious jobs and the AIDS pandemic.

Maintaining continuity following recent changes with NUMSA is also important to Irvin. He points out that the new leadership elected at the recent National Congress are all long time NUMSA members and officials.

Emphasising statements made at Congress, Irvin says, "our responsibility is that our union should stay united and consolidated."