National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) president Dan Balepile is waging a battle against his deputy, who wants to unseat him from the top position.
The battle comes as the mine and construction workers union prepares to head into a national elective conference scheduled for June 24 to June 26 when Balepile is expected to face off against his deputy, Phillip Vilakazi.
Sunday World understands that the position of deputy president will also be contested, while the general secretary and treasury positions will not. The posts are held by Mpho Phakedi and Helen Diatile, respectively.
In a video published on the union’s Facebook page on June 13, when Vilakazi was speaking at a Free State region health and safety workshop, confirms he will contest Balepile.
“I read two disturbing messages when I was at a memorial service. The first message says, ‘They say you are not available for the position of the president’. I must correct that: I’m available,” says Vilakazi to a round of applause.
“When I emerge, as I’ve emerged already, it’s just a matter of confirmation in the ballot box. Clearly, I have no intention to dismiss people in the union.
“Instead, I have the intention to make sure that the NUM in the first 100 days of me and the collective… the programme that we’re going to develop must give us 250 000 members in the union because we are below 200 000.
Vilakazi said he was not in the union for personal favours at the expense of the union.
“I don’t have time to lead the organisation as friends. Some of you, we might be enemies soon if you promote friendships. I hate friendships with a passion… because friends do lie… do steal. When a friend steals, he promotes you. And if tomorrow it’s you [who steals] first, it becomes a culture. Not in my name,” said Vilakazi.
“Imagine telling people that, ‘There comes [an elective] congress, and if I get elected, I’m going to fire all of you.’ From whose organisation am I going to fire you? What am I?
“We have sitting leaders who say they are going to deal with branches that disagree with them. How do you deal with those branches because they have not joined your organisation, you fool? Leave those people to hold a different view. It’s their right. Persuade them. If you fail to persuade them, allow them to go where they want to go.”
Though it is not clear who Vilakazi was referring to, a video has emerged in which a grinning Balepile says cockroaches will be dealt with after the congress.
“I’m removing cockroaches. Cockroaches must leave after congress,” chuckled Balepile.
The NUM national executive recently lifted the suspension of a high-ranking Mpumalanga official implicated in the missing R11-million of construction and mine workers union funds. Mining firm Seriti Coal, had mistakenly deposited the funds into the branch bank account instead of the national one.
The union also disbanded an internal team it had appointed to investigate the missing millions.
The branch account is used to fund the training of members only, however, our deep throat said instead the money was allegedly used to pay bogus service providers.
On Friday, Balepile released a statement in which he slammed the Sunday World
article. He, however, threatened to deal with those implicated in the missing funds.
“The matter cited in the press is being handled with the gravity it deserves. We have unanimously mandated an independent forensic investigation in line with our constitution and internal accountability mechanisms.
“We will not pre-empt or ventilate the findings in public while the process unfolds. If wrongdoing is confirmed, the NUM will act, and the full might of the law will be unleashed to confront any foreign tendencies of crime.”
When approached for comment, Vilakazi undertook to respond to Sunday World’s questions after the congress, while attempts to get hold of Balepile were fruitless.
