Johannesburg - Labour union Numsa has resolved to form a political party for workers, secretary general Irvin Jim said on Thursday.
“The working class needs its own political party... the working class is leaderless,” he said in Johannesburg.
For now the party would be referred to as the United Front, and its name would be finalised next year.
Jim was briefing reporters in Johannesburg about a four-day meeting of the union's central committee.
He said workers were not in a hurry to get to Parliament, and were not opportunistic in planning to form their own political party.
“There is no turning back from where we stand. We will take time and have political schools, take trips to Latin America to learn more and champion the needs of the working class.”
Deputy secretary general Karl Cloete said the party would contest the 2016 local elections if up and running by then.
“We would not want a million votes, we do not want less... the working class should take power,” he said.
Jim said anyone who wanted to defend the workers was welcome in the UF.
Sapa