TRIBUTES are pouring in for the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) General Secretary David Sipunzi, who died on Christmas day.
The cause of his death is still unknown at this stage.
“The family of comrade David Kolekile Sipunzi confirmed that he passed on at 11 am (on Friday),” said William Mabapa, NUM Deputy General Secretary.
“Comrade David Kolekile Sipunzi will always be remembered for his forthrightness, commitment and dedication in championing the cause of the working class to ensure, protect and safeguard their jobs and conditions of employment.”
“He was a trade unionist who did not cease to fight for the rights of the NUM members. Comrade Sipunzi dedicated his entire life to the service of the mine, construction and energy workers in South Africa until his untimely death. He was a firm believer in the rights of the downtrodden and the voice of the voiceless.”
The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) said Sipunzi was a dedicated fighter for socialism, a stable fighter of the principles of class struggle and loyal to the strategy for the emancipation of the working class and its final deliberation from the bonds of the capitalist slavery.
“The WFTU family and its 106 million members in 130 countries of the world is deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden passing away of the General Secretary of its member union NUM South Africa who was a Vice President of WFTU and member of the Presidential Council,” said the WFTU in a statement.
“The death of cde Sipunzi at the age of 55 years is a great shock.
He was a strong fighter for the benefits of miners in South Africa and committed through the rangs of WFTU to the welfare of the miner workers all over the world. Throughout his entire life was doing efforts to liberate mineworkers from the exploitative bosses and he was inspiring unity of all mine workers to continue their struggles to improve their working and living conditions. He was constantly fighting for dignified salaries and working condition.”
The South African Communist Party (SACP) said Sipunzi will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to advancing workers’ struggles, describing his death as a “great loss”.
“The SACP expresses its message of sincere condolences to Sipunzi’s family, the NUM and the WFTU for the great loss encountered,” the party said in a statement.
“The workers will remember Sipunzi for his commitment to advancing their struggles. His leadership of the NUM coincided with capitalist bosses in the mining sector intensifying restructuring to protect profitability and maximise profits in reaction to the persisting aftermath of the global economic crisis that broke out in 2008.”
The Thabo Mbeki Foundation also paid tribute, calling Sipunzi a dedicated and dependable cadre in the struggle for a fair and equality in the workplace.
“he Patron of the TMF, President Thabo Mbeki, the Board and the staff have learnt with shock of the sudden sad passing of the General Secretary of the National Union of Mine Workers (NUM), David Kolekile Sipunzi,” said the foundation in a statement.
“A self-effacing and principled human being, Cde Sipunzi was a dedicated and dependable cadre in the struggle for a fair and equal social and economic organisation of human affairs. We would like to convey our deepest condolences to his family and comrades in the NUM, trade union and broad democratic movement.”
Sipunzi joined the National Union of Mineworkers in 1985.
He became an NUM Shaft Steward in 1986 and in 1987 he was elected the NUM Shaft deputy secretary. In 1991, Sipunzi was elected the NUM Free State Deputy Regional Secretary.
In 1993, he was elected the NUM Deputy Branch Secretary and in 1996, Sipunzi was elected as the Branch Secretary.
In 1999, he was elected as the NUM Free State Regional Secretary until he was elected as the NUM General Secretary (GS) at the NUM 15th National Congress at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg in 2015.
He was re-elected to the same position in 2018.
(SOURCE: INSIDE POLITICS)
