The Star reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) says it is ready for court battle against its former second deputy president, Ruth Ntlokotse, whose court application to nullify the union’s recent congress is set to begin on Thursday.
Last month Ntlokotse and 53 suspended members lodged a contempt of court application after the union continued with its 11th National Congress despite a court order by Judge Graham Moshoana interdicting the congress until the union complied with its own constitution. Ntlokotse is also calling for Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim and Numsa president Andrew Chirwa to be imprisoned should the court rule in her favour. The court case before Judge Portia Nkutha-Nkuntwana of the Johannesburg Labour Court was set to start on 5 August, but was postponed to Thursday to allow the judge to study the submissions made by the two parties. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said the union would be defending itself against its former second deputy president as the trade union had done everything to ensure that it complied with the court interdict by Judge Moshoana. In response to Ntlokotse's court application, Jim claimed there was no basis for Ntlokotse's application to be entertained on an urgent basis as her application failed to comply with the prescripts of the practice manual in respect of contempt of court proceedings. Jim added that Numsa complied with the earlier judgment by Judge Moshoana, which resulted in Numsa delaying its congress for two days and lifting the suspension of 27 Numsa members.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siyabonga Sithole at The Star
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