News24 reports that a South African workers' party was officially launched last week, with hopes to garner the votes of the working class and bag some seats in Parliament.
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) officially kick started the Socialist Revolutionary Workers' Party (SRWP) on Thursday at an elective congress. The party adopted a 944-delegate list of candidates, while 54 international guests observed and issued their support. The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) has expressed its endorsement for the party and secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi delivered a message of support at the launch. In his opening address as the convener of the SRWP, Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim called on all of the union’s members to vote for a party that puts the rights of workers first. He also urged members of trade union federation Cosatu to vote for the party, saying he had a right to canvass and lobby support from workers across all unions. Vavi told journalists during a lunch break at the conference that he would not stand for any position in the new party, nor accept any nomination.
- Read the full original of Pelane Phakgadi’s report on the SRWP launch at News24
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