The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union’s long-awaited national elective congress kicked off this week in an effort that its leaders believe will put any criticism about the union’s legitimacy to rest.
Amcu’s elective congress follows the announcement by labour registrar Lehohonolo Molefe that his office had suspended itsThe registrar’s decision followed submissions regarding the union’s plans to hold its national congress. In a statement following the notice, Molefe said Amcu’s failure to hold a congress was in contravention of the unions own constitution. Amcu last held an elective congress in 2013.
Amcu had last year undertaken to hold its national congress in May 2019, but when contacted about this by the registrar in February, the union said it was concerned over the “unusual attention” the union was paying to it. “We are not operating in a vacuum. We operate within South Africa, a democratic country which has got its laws that govern every establishment. So we belong to that department,” Mphahlele said.
“You will remember that it was the very same department that wanted to deregister us because of the congress issues. Now if they come to see that Amcu is quite a democratised union: We follow to the letter what we are doing in terms of our constitution,” Mphahlele said.