Johannesburg - National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has elected its office bearers for the next four years at its ninth national congress in Durban, the union said on Saturday.
Cedric Gina was retained as president, as were second deputy president Christine Olivier, general secretary Irvin Jim and deputy general secretary Karl Cloete, the union said in a statement.
Phil Bokaba was replaced as first deputy president by Andrew Chirwa, with Mphumzi Maqungo replacing Philemon Shiburi as national treasurer.
The congress began on Monday and ended on Friday.
The office bearers would take stock of what happened at the conference and prepare a report for the union's first central committee meeting, said Gina during his closing speech to the congress.
He said the Numsa leadership would engage with the SA Communist Party leadership regarding matters raised at the conference.
“We are, however, looking to see that the resolutions and leadership which will come out of the ANC Mangaung Conference this year will give comfort to the working class.”
Numsa still held reservations regarding the New Growth Path, intended by government to promote employment and growth in the economy.
The Treasury should allocate more resources to the departments of trade and industry, and economic development, said Gina.
“Unless fundamental transformation takes place in the ownership, control and consumption of wealth in this country, the people of South Africa shall not know real development, peace, prosperity, and democracy.”
The union demanded the Reserve Bank, mines, land, and strategic industries be nationalised without compensation to avoid South Africa sliding into anarchy and violence, caused by poverty, Gina said.
Numsa would hold a post-congress policy congress to discuss resolutions made at the congress. - Sapa