African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma’s remarks about municipal workers holding leadership positions in political parties has “disturbed” the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu).
Zuma’s comments were “part of a concerted effort to depoliticise and de-unionise the public service, which could be disastrous for the country and the working class”, the union said in a statement on Wednesday.
It would discuss the matter with the ANC’s leadership, offering it an opportunity to “clarify or apologise” for the Zuma’s comments.
Zuma, speaking in Kimberley at the ANC’s 98th anniversary celebrations on Saturday, said the party intended to make local government a key focus for service provision in 2010.
“We are of the view that municipal employees should not hold leadership positions in political parties … and we will tighten our deployment procedures to ensure that we deploy comrades with political integrity and professional competence.”
Samwu was “saddened” by the remarks and described them as “worrying” and “constitutionally and politically unnecessary”.
“The ANC cannot tamper with the freedom of association we are guaranteed as South Africans and municipal employees.”
The ANC has long conceded there were problems at local government level. In 2009 many communities protested against shoddy service delivery a short while into Zuma’s term as president.
Corruption, factionalism, nepotism and poor delivery were at the root of many of the violent protests occurring across the country.
The party had conducted an audit of the state of the country’s municipalities, due to be released early this year.
The ANC would discuss the January 8 statement at a national executive committee lekgotla (meeting) this weekend.
Alliance as well as government leaders were expected to attend the meeting. Samwu is an affiliate of ANC alliance partner the Congress of South African Trade Unions. — Sapa