NEHAWU Dismisses Reports Some Structures Planning to Ditch ANC for MK Party

The trade union, which is affiliated to the ANC’s alliance partner, COSATU, has been involved in a bitter public spat with ANC KwaZulu-Natal Secretary Bheki Mtolo.

An African National Congress (ANC) flag flies outside a polling station in Langa, near Cape Town, on 1 November 2021. Picture: AFP

JOHANNESBURG - The National, Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) has dismissed news reports that some of its structures are planning to ditch the African National Congress (ANC) for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.

The trade union, which is affiliated to the ANC’s alliance partner, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), has been involved in a bitter public spat with ANC KwaZulu-Natal Secretary Bheki Mtolo.

However, in a media briefing on Monday, it was agreed Mtolo would apologise publicly to NEHAWU, and in return, the union would retract its defamation case against the ANC and its provincial secretary.

NEHAWU president Michael Shingane said this recent impasse between the union and the ANC has not resulted in any change of loyalties.

“When COPE [Congress of the People] was formed, many workers left and went to COPE because remember, COPE took away a president of COSATU, they took away a general secretary of COSATU. Naturally, workers would follow the leaders they love so much. It's not a new thing. 

“When the EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters] was formed, there were workers who would have joined, but it doesn’t mean that structurally in our regional branch and national executive committees there’s a discussion about dumping the ANC and going to the MK as an organisation. You can take that from me as president of NEHAWU.”