Cape Town - The war of words between the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and its expelled former second deputy president Ruth Ntlokotse rages on.
Accusing Ntloko of libellous and defamatory statements, Numsa said on Monday it reserved the right to take further legal action against her for alleged defamation.
This after Ntlokotse spoke out about being axed on media platforms and issued a statement at the weekend.
The union's National Executive Committee (NEC) received the outcome of Ntlokotse’s disciplinary hearing case on May 4 where it was recommended that she be expelled from the union, thereby seeking to impact her position as South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) president.
“The Numsa leadership have demonstrated their contempt for the interests of workers by holding the ‘hearing’ at the very same time that I together with my fellow shop stewards represented 387 workers in a CCMA facilitated S189 process. Those workers are threatened with a mass retrenchment and the possible closure of our company,” she said.
Ntlokotse said she made an application requesting a postponement of the disciplinary hearing however Numa’s general secretary Irvin Jim failed to respond.
She said the hearing proceeded in her absence with an alleged ruling which recommended her to be sacked because she was using ‘delaying tactics’.
“Numsa’s leadership is so hell-bent on expelling me at the earliest possible opportunity that they insisted on giving me the choice between representing myself and representing my members.
Instead of looking at my well-being, I am first and foremost in service of members and thus committed to the purpose of the union which is to represent its members.The struggle to win back the union from this bankrupt leadership continues, regardless of this decision to expel me,” said Ntlokotse.
Jim alleged Ntlokotse has been trying to collapse the union since last year and kept repeating lies.
“Ntlokotse had been aware of her disciplinary hearing for four weeks prior to the hearing. She voluntarily chose not to appear at her hearing after she requested the Union to book accommodation for her, which the union did.
“The union also requested time-off from her work, which was granted by her employer.
“Ntlokotse’s belief that she was simply entitled to not attend the hearing is extraordinarily arrogant, particularly given the time and resources which the Union has spent in setting up the disciplinary hearing,” he said.
Jim said they have noted “slanderous” allegations where she claimed that her expulsion is centred on financial mismanagement and that he has not accounted for R20.1 million which was given to Numsa through sponsorship.
“We reject this with the contempt it deserves. All Numsa financials are audited regularly by external auditors, and, all reports are received and accounted for by the Numsa national treasurer to the NEC and the Central Committee.
“The agenda here is to create the false impression that Numa’s national office bearers are a law unto themselves, and are squandering workers' money.
“This is false. We do not have such money on our books and her goal is to liquidate the union by lying,” he said.
Cape Times