EWN reports that the much-awaited national elective congress of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) was set to begin in Johannesburg on Wednesday morning.  

The three-day congress comes after a protracted battle between the union and the registrar for labour relations, who threatened to deregister the union for failing to hold a congress within five years as stipulated in its constitution.  The registrar earlier this month withdrew his notice of intent to de-register the union on the basis of its undertaking to hold the elective congress.  The gathering will also provide Amcu members with an opportunity to elect new leaders.  Although the union’s officials have been mum about whether leadership positions were being contested, the draft programme for the congress did make provision for elections.  Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa recently said he was open to returning to his position if members so wished.  The union has also declared a dispute with platinum producers after wage negotiations deadlocked, an issue which will be high on the agenda during the congress.

• Read the original of the above report by Theto Mahlakoana at EWN

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