NUMSA CONCERNED ABOUT ITS GENERAL SECRETARY'S SAFETY!

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is extremely concerned about the safety of its General Secretary Comrade Irvin Jim. Whilst leaving from the University of Zululand last night, where the SACP 13th National Congress is currently underway, he was being followed by a suspicious car.

His security personnel had to stop the car to confront the occupants of the suspicious car. When confronted, the occupants of the other car claimed that they thought the car belonged to their principal, the Mayor; surprisingly they did not know the name of the Mayor, and even worse they could not produce authentic SAPS identification cards. The cars had false registration plates and were heavily armed. This is not the first time that the NUMSA General Secretary has been followed by suspicious cars. 

We trust the SAPS will act swiftly by apprehending the occupants of the car for thorough questioning and investigation. We strongly believe they have a case to answer.

The threats to the life of our General Secretary are not new and they are publicly known. It is quite bizarre that 18 years of our democratic breakthrough, we have to deal with issues of safety of our leaders, like we use to do during the height of apartheid State sponsored political killings and violence.

Amidst the increasing political assassinations particularly in KwaZulu-Natal of ANC Cadres we want to heed the call for vigilance made by President Zuma and therefore call on the SAPS to establish a Special Task Team to undertake a thorough investigation of this new development.

We call on the security authorities to provide the necessary safety and security because none of us can afford that a capable leader like Irvin Jim, whose only interest is defending the aspirations and needs of the working class and the poor, to perish simply because he has taken a principled class stance in our class divided society.

Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA National Spokesperson, July 13 2012

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