GroundUp reports that according to the Western Cape region of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), the union’s national leadership is not allowing regional secretary Vuyo Lufele back into his office despite a ruling by the CCMA lifting his suspension.

Lufele was one of more than 55 people suspended by general secretary Irvin Jim after they raised concerns over the running of 3Sixty Life, a funeral insurance company owned by the union. Lufele challenged his suspension at the CCMA, which ruled on 26 June that he must be reinstated and should report for duty on 3 July. CCMA Commissioner Jacques Buitendag found that the suspension had been invalid and unfair. In a 12 July letter to Jim, Nama Mzimasi, on behalf of Numsa Western Cape office bearers, claimed that Numsa was not complying with the CCMA ruling. Mzimasi said the absence of Lufele was “creating a lot of suffering to us as workers in the Western Cape and we would like your office to allow him back to his office”. According to Mzimasi, Jim had “decided to take powers away” from the Western Cape leadership “by placing this region under administration unconstitutionally”. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola advised that at an extended Central Committee meeting held from 9 to 13 December, it had been resolved to place the Western Cape Region under administration. “As things stand Western Cape is being led by a task team following the decision of that Central Committee meeting. It is false for anyone to claim that this decision was taken solely by the Numsa General Secretary comrade Irvin Jim when it was a decision of the entire Central Committee,” she indicated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Daniel Steyn at GroundUp

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