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- The National Union of Metalworkers of SA is disciplining the president of its umbrella federation Ruth Ntlokotse for misconduct.
- This disciplinary notice and charges come after a bitter battle by Ntlokotse to have Numsa's July conference and its outcomes declared null and void in court.
- Ntlokotse confirmed to News24 that she received the notice and charge sheets, but she considers it a bid at purging the union of challengers.
- For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page.
SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) president Ruth Ntlokotse is under fire in her capacity as a member of the federation's largest and richest affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa). The union informed her that it would proceed with a disciplinary hearing against her for misconduct.
Her charges come months after Ntlokotse initiated a court challenge to have Numsa's national elective conference in July interdicted and an unsuccessful attempt to have the conference and its outcomes declared null and void by the Labour Court.
In her court papers in July, Ntlokotse said she and other Numsa members were prevented from attending the conference as she was planning to run for the position of Numsa president. Instead Andrew Chirwa was re-elected as Numsa president and Puleng Phaka was elected second deputy president, the office which Ntlokotse previously held.
But Ntlokotse was elected Saftu president at the federation's national elective conference in May, after defeating Mac Chavalala for the position.
Since she was elected Saftu president, Ntlokotse and Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi have been at loggerheads with Numsa leadership over control of Numsa, Saftu's largest affiliate with over 330 000 members. Saftu already lost the South African Police Union as an affiliate earlier this month.
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The disciplinary proceedings and charges come against the backdrop of a bitter feud between Saftu leaders and Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim as well as Numsa president Chirwa.
Her charge sheet contains three charges. This includes a failure to return union property after vacating her national office. She is also charged for writing an open letter in which she objected to the handling of 3Sixty Life's curatorship as Numsa's life insurance company, and standing for Saftu president, despite the union's position that it would support Chavalala for Saftu president.
In the letter to Ntlokotse, Jim said the union would act on the decision it made in October to discipline her.
"The union has decided to convene your disciplinary hearing before an independent legal practitioner from Gauteng. The disciplinary hearing shall be held on a date to be communicated to you in due course," the letter said.
The letter said Numsa reserved the right to add to the disciplinary charges if any further acts of alleged misconduct come to the union's attention before the hearing commences.
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Ntlokotse confirmed to News24 that she had received notice of the disciplinary proceedings as well as the charge sheet. She said the disciplinary proceedings were a bid to purge the union of her and other members who have stood up to Jim and Chirwa.
"I'm not the only person. There are a number of workers who received letters to state why they should not be charged," said Ntlokotse.
Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola had no comment.
