The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) in the North West has resolved to reaffirm its 12th National Congress’ decision to support the South African Communist Party (SACP)’s stance to contest elections independently from the ANC starting next year with the local government elections.
The union said it also supports the SACP’s strategic pursuit of building a socialist movement of the working class and the poor.
NEHAWU is COSATU’s first affiliate to declare its support to the SACP to contest state power.
The resolution was taken at the union’s provincial congress held in Klerksdorp over the weekend.
Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, the newly elected Provincial Secretary Zanele Lawu said that the congress was attended by 110 delegates from all NEHAWU’s five regions of the province, representing 20 056 members from across all sectors.
“The congress reaffirmed the union’s unwavering commitment to internal democracy underpinned by strengthening workplace organisation, unity, comradeship and solidarity of all workers.
Over the course of the congress, delegates engaged in robust and constructive discussions on the four pillars of the organisation which includes international solidarity, socio-economy, ideological and political work including discussing the state of the organisation in the North West.
We’re elated and proudly declare that congress adopted progressive resolutions that are aimed at strengthening the work of the organisation and ensuring that no member is left behind as we continue to focus on membership service and recruitment as directed by the 12th National Congress and the 2024 Central Executive Committee,” said Lawu.
The newly elected provincial leadership has promised to reunite members of the union, strengthen efforts to boost its growth and to represent workers without fear nor prejudice during its term.
“As we emerge from this important gathering, we do so united in purpose and vision and call on all our members in the province to support and rally behind the newly elected leadership of this class-oriented trade union with an internationalist character, a transformative union, and a fighting and militant trade union,” pleaded Lawu.
In addition, Lawu said that the congress mandated the newly elected office bearers not to mince their words when representing its members.
“There was no leadership in the province for several months prior to this congress.
So, we do not have any benchmark in terms of the performance of any leadership and if we say that we’re going to represent our members without fear nor favour, that is what we would expect of any leadership that would be elected at any level of the union in the province” remarked Lawu.
He’s confident that the new structure of the province will live up to the resolutions taken at the congress.
