SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande. Picture: JASON BOSWELL.
SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande. Picture: JASON BOSWELL

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WORKERS are behind the African National Congress (ANC) and will not be fooled by those seeking to turn unions into political parties, South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Blade Nzimande said on Sunday.

In a referance to the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), Mr Nzimanda said the ANC would "deal with them now and in 2019".

Numsa has decided to research the formation of a workers party to possibly contest future elections, due to the "neo-liberal" trajectory of the ANC at its special national congress in December. It also decided not to campaign for the ANC in the upcoming polls, as it had done since 1994. Numsa has called on President Jacob Zuma to resign due to the R246m upgrades to his Nkandla residence.

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"We are convinced workers have confidence in the ANC, they won’t be fooled by those who want to turn a union into a political party, we will deal with them now and in 2019," Mr Nzimande said.

Numsa’s decisions came amidst unprecedented divisions in labour ally the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), a battle in which the ANC intervened a month before the polls.

Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini told supporters in his message of support that the federation would work with the ANC to fight against labour brokers after the elections.

"Thank you ANC for having gone the mile with us... we are moving forward with the ANC," he said.

"This ANC will run this country, we will paint this country black, green and gold and even red."

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi who was prominent at the ANC’s last Siyanqoba Rally in 2009, was absent from the gathering on Sunday.