NUMSA rejects FYL malicious opportunism!

25 September 2012

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) abhors the malicious opportunism displayed by the Friends of Youth League (FYL) who have alleged that NUMSA General Secretary comrade Irvin Jim, will address a crowd or sympathisers of Julius Malema when  Malema appears in a Polokwane Magistrate Court tomorrow, Wednesday 26 September 2012.

The FYL has issued a public statement indicating that senior leaders of the ANC and its Youth League, including NUMSA General Secretary Irvin Jim, will be addressing supporters or sympathizers of Julius Malema outside Court.

This is not only a blatant lie, but a divisive and dangerous political strategy used by FYL which seeks to position NUMSA General Secretary Irvin Jim as part of the FYL.

We want to state categorically that NUMSA General Secretary Irvin Jim will not be part of the speakers outside court. Further, the General Secretary of NUMSA both in his private and official capacities has no relationship with the FYL. In a similar vein, NUMSA has no political relations with FYL.

NUMSA has long established political relations with the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) as led by youth of the advanced class, the Young Communist League (YCL), ANC Youth League, SA Students Congress (SASCO) and Congress of South African Students (COSAS).

The NUMSA General Secretary has consistently and faithfully articulated the official positions of NUMSA and COSATU, and as far as can be established, the positions of the Liberation Movement as a whole. 

We call on FYL to desist from opportunistically using the name of the NUMSA General Secretary to advance their political ends. 

Statement issued by NUMSA National Office Bearers, September 25 2012

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