Discussing Zuma resignation right: Numsa

President Jacob Zuma officially launches the Automotive Rail Wagons at Transnet Engineering Plant in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape. South Africa. 05/11/2013

President Jacob Zuma officially launches the Automotive Rail Wagons at Transnet Engineering Plant in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape. South Africa. 05/11/2013

Published Dec 19, 2013

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Boksburg - The question of whether President Jacob Zuma should step down if the report on Nkandla revealed taxpayers' money was used irregularly is appropriate, Numsa said on Thursday.

National Union of Metalworkers of SA president Andrew Chirwa earlier this week asked delegates at the union's special national congress to debate whether Zuma should step down if the Public Protector's final report on the upgrade to his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal found wrongdoing on his part.

“This was a question he posed in the plenary for discussion by the special national congress,” Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim told reporters in Boksburg, on the East Rand.

“As national office bearers we strongly feel that this was a correct and appropriate question to be posed.”

He said delegates at the congress discussed the matter in commissions and would report in plenary on their answer to Chirwa's question.

On Wednesday, Jim said if the leaked protector's report was true the public works department and Zuma had to be held accountable.

“There is no justification for spending R200 million on the house of the president,” he told delegates.

“As a union we can't be found wanting when something is definitely wrong.”

Metalworkers were discussing, among other things, whether the union should support the African National Congress in next year's elections and whether it would remain a member of the Congress of SA Trade Unions.

Numsa's leadership had spent the last two days criticising the ANC and its alliance partner the SA Communist Party, accusing it of ignoring the working class.

Sapa

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