Rustenburg mayor snubs NUM youth marchers

NUM Youth Structure members march through the streets of Rustenburg to hand over a memorandum of demands at the Rustenburg local municipality before their rally at the Olympia Park Stadium. Photo: ANA

NUM Youth Structure members march through the streets of Rustenburg to hand over a memorandum of demands at the Rustenburg local municipality before their rally at the Olympia Park Stadium. Photo: ANA

Published Jun 24, 2017

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Rustenburg - The Rustenburg municipality has denied that mayor Mpho Khunou disrespected the National Union of Mineworkers Youth Structure (NUMYS) by failing to be present to accept a memorandum from protesters on Saturday morning.

“The mayor is not disrespecting you, he had other commitments; that is the reason he is not here,” mayoral committee member for corporate support services Nosipho Babe said while accepting the memorandum in Khunou’s place.

This was after NUMYS national secretary Bonginkosi Mrasi said the mayor was disrespecting young workers by not being present to accept their memorandum.

The NUMYS supporters marched through the streets of Rustenburg to raise issues affecting workers in the mines. “We have decided to march here in Rustenburg today [Saturday], the epicentre of union bashing, to show solidarity and seriousness of our demands,” Mrasi said.

“Workers continue to participate in the elections with hope to improve the lives of young workers. Rustenburg municipality should prioritise the needs of the youth, such as their safety and jobs,” he said.

In the memorandum, the young workers demanded that all mining companies operating in the North West, and particularly in the Rustenburg area, create “decent jobs for the unemployed youth”.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was originally billed to address the NUMYS rally after the march, but could not attend because of other commitments. ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Mathole Motshekga will address the rally instead. Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) deputy general secretary Solly Phetoe will also speak. African News Agency

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