Johannesburg – Deputy chairperson of the South African Communist Party Thulas Nxesi on Friday morning came out guns blazing against what he described as a "Gupta parasitic network which he said was killing the ANC.Nxesi was speaking at the second day of the National Union of Mineworkers Central Committee (CC) held at the St George Hotel in Irene near Pretoria.
"They are a threat to our revolution" We can be outsted because of them," Nxesi said of the family that is said to have close ties with President Jacob Zuma and whose relationship has been revealed and detailed in recently leaked emails.
Nxesi said, who is also an ANC national executive member and the Minister of Sports and Recreation said the movement had to guard against Gupta patronage saying the National Democratic Revolution had to be defended and advanced.
Nxesi also blasted the appointment, dismissal, reappointment and subsequently dismissal of former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe saying: "We can't have a board that sits and makes dismissal decisions."
Day 2 National Union of Mineworkers CC underway. Cosatu President Sdumo Dlamini + Sports Min Thulas Nxesi are here @IOLPolitics @IOL pic.twitter.com/mDJQk3EFJx
— Noni Mokati (@Noni_M2) June 9, 2017
He said this is why the SACP is calling for the board, under chairman Ben Ngubane, to be dissolved.
He, Nxesi, warned against factional battles and the intimidation of leaders, particularly SACP second deputy general-secretary Solly Mapaila.
Nxesi also took time out to laud NUM on its achievements since its formation particularly on its organisational renewal programmes saying it was the first union to have a paper on this.
Deputy chairperson of SACP and Sports Min Thulas Nxesi takes to the podium to address delegates #NUMCC @IOLPolitics @IOL pic.twitter.com/9Jl1TOtVP8
— Noni Mokati (@Noni_M2) June 9, 2017 Delegates break into song after Nxesi's speech @IOL @IOLPolitics #NUMCC pic.twitter.com/mbn5dTGARK
— Noni Mokati (@Noni_M2) June 9, 2017
He said while NUM has faced challenges, he has no doubt that it will bounce back and regain lost ground.
Meanwhile, like the SACP, NUM has called on Zuma to step down and has endorsed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as their preferred candidate going towards the ruling party's national elective conference in December.
NUM provincial structures also used the CC to outline their dissatisfaction with the chaos reigning within the ANC, especially on the leadership level as well as political and socio-economic challenges of the day.
Public Works Minister Nathi Nhleko said the labour movement is facing mounting challenges as South Africa enters the second stage of the liberation which deals economic freedom.
"This stage of liberation compels our society to transform...cthe main challenge at present is the harmonization of the labour movement in order for it to be ready to play a meaningful role in transforming the construction industry," he said.
Nhleko said unions have to own and drive the National Development Plan and radical economic transformation.