Fin24 reports that according to suspended National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) second deputy president Ruth Ntlokotse, the union's leadership was targeting her for pursuing office at Numsa's home federation Saftu and demanding accountability for the management of members' funds.

The conflict at Numsa comes ahead of the union's elective conference, set to take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre later in July. On Wednesday, Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim advised that Ntlokotse had been suspended for acting outside of the national office bearers' collective. He denied suggestions that Ntlokotse was being targeted for not toeing his line in the union. In May, Ntlokotse contested for national leadership at the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and was successfully elected as the federation's president. Ntlokotse will now serve alongside Saftu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi, who is at odds with Jim over whether the federation should align itself with a political party or establish a party to contest political power. Vavi believes Saftu should not sacrifice its independence. Also at issue is the provisional curatorship storm around 3Sixty Life, a subsidiary of the Numsa Investment Company. Jim went to court to halt the curatorship over governance challenges last year, but his detractors said he did this with no mandate from the union. Speaking during a recent interview, Ntlokotse said Numsa's special committee suspended her because she chose to contest the position of Saftu president against the union's wishes. She also said she was being targeted for demanding accountability regarding the non-payment of claims by 3Sixty Life to members. Ntlokotse said she had received death threats and harassment since raising her concerns about 3Sixty Life.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24 (subscriber access only)

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