A once-off amnesty for black-listed South Africans, a call on mining companies to stop exporting to Israel, the decriminalisation of sex work, and a ban on e-tolling are among the resolutions passed by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
The more than 1 000 congress delegates want a presidential remission on black-listing for all South Africans blacklisted for debts up to R200 000.
“South Africans deserve a clean start of their credit records,” the resolution says, adding the union would be prepared to hold marches on this.
Regarding exports to Israel – hot on the heels of a Trade and Industry Department announcement on relabelling products from Palestine – the NUM congress asked its executive to give notice to the Chamber of Mines and individual companies to stop exporting minerals to Israel, “in refusal to contribute with our labour power on minerals which in turn result in building capacity for Israel to oppress the people of Palestine”.
The resolution on legalising sex work sparked heated debate – sexual harassment and sex work at mines was also raised as a concern in the secretariat report the congress adopted – but in the end the resolution, which stemmed from the NUM women’s congress decisions, was adopted.
Now the call for campaigns for the decriminalisation of sex work to “ensure sex workers are not abused” will be tabled at the September Cosatu congress where, if adopted, it will become a campaign of the federation.
On nationalisation, the NUM resolved in favour of “strategic nationalisation”, warning that a wholesale takeover could lead to a bail-out of indebted mines.
However, Sasol and ArcelorMittal must be “renationalised” as they were historically state-owned enterprises, and should return to the state’s fold, while cement manufacturing should be nationalised.
The congress backed a labour broker ban, rejected e-tolls, and called for a state bank as the financial sector has not transformed.
Sunday Independent