Thursday, March 28, 2024

NUMSA is misdirected and malicious, says Zambia Union of Govt and Allied workers

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The Zambia Union of Government and Allied Workers (UG) is saddened by the continuous unjustified calls on South Africans by a Mr. Irvin Jim the Secretary General of National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA) to boycott buying Zambian products.

The latest of these calls were covered by the South African online publication the Independent Online (IOL) on the 30th of May 2017.

If NUMSA had done its research very well, they would have known that Zambia is a developing country which has for the year 2017 “prioritized International Trade as a tool for attaining economic growth and development”.

The calls by NUMSA work to reverse this very aim of the Zambian people.

We consider NUMSA’s calls un African, Careless, Malicious, Miscalculated and a direct attack on the Zambian people.

We also recognize that Irvin Jim is a personal friend of owner and editor of the defunct Post newspapers.

So he speaks with anger and malice and wishes to drag the entire Union into his personal fight and in solidarity with Mmembe.

We translate these persistent calls by NUMSA to South Africans to boycott Zambian products as a call to the South African people to rise up and end trade between South Africa and Zambia. NUMSA should realize that there are more goods flowing from South Africa to Zambia than from Zambia to South Africa. If Zambians chose to reciprocate because of NUMSA’s calls most South African Companies operating in Zambia would close down and that would impact negatively on the South African economy as well.

We have noted from the statement issued to Independent Online by Mr. Jim that NUMSA’s calls are based on Mr. Jim’s perception that there is political chaos in Zambia.

We want to indicate here that the perception held by Mr. Jim is not correct and that it is unwise to make calls to end trade between states based on false information.

Mr. Jim on behalf of NUMSA insinuates that Zambia is sliding into Civil War.

He claims that there is no Press Freedom in Zambia and that the Zambian Government is a confirmed dictatorship, a tyrannical government that is oppressing its people.

These are strong false allegations by Mr. Jim against the Zambian Government and its people.

It would be folly on our part as Zambia Labour Movement and also on the part of all Zambian opposition political parties to sit quiet if Mr. Jim’s claims were founded.

Mr. Jim is a lone voice on this matter; the situation in Zambia does not collaborate his claims.

Media Houses in Zambia are operating and some such as the Mast Newspaper are even critical of the regime.

Opposition parties are operating and some very critical of the regime too.

Zambian people are going about their businesses without a thought of a Civil War. If the situation was as NUMSA claims it to be, the Zambian Trade Unions as well as the Opposition Political parties in Zambia would have been the first to stand up against all such vices of evil and call for help from the outside world.

We can only conclude therefore, that there should be some personal benefit accruing to Mr. Jim for him to call upon South Africans to rise against trade between Zambia and South Africa.

What is going on in Zambia now is not new to our politics.

Politicians have been at each others throats and arrests have been done before.

Newspapers have had frictions with those in power and some have died down before but Zambia has been able to manage its affairs.

We want to appeal to all those that claim they stand with Zambia not to create unnecessary tension in Zambia by their stories because of the positions they may hold.

Zambia has systems of governance and those systems must be left to thrive uninfluenced.

We appeal to the working class in South Africa not to listen to NUMSA’s calls as those calls are founded on falsehoods.

Never at any time should they support any schemes aimed at hurting an African.

We cherish the support Zambia enjoying from South Africa but NUMSA’s calls are aimed at hurting the Zambian people.

Muyaywa Mwiyaluka Kabisa
PRESIDENT

52 COMMENTS

    • Comment:what do you mean by ‘defending the indefensible’. please explain cos I see no flaws in this article.

    • WELL! THANK YOU ZAMBIA UNION OF GOVT AND ALLIED WORKERS
      ============================
      ZUGAW thank you for coming to the rescue of Government. That’s the way it should be; Iron sharpens iron, they say. You have completely brutalised NUMSA on behalf the Zambian elite. We Zambians know Zambia better than NUMSA and the other cliques. That said, NUMSA is just an organisation of workers in South Africa. NUMSA does not make trade policies in SA. Since we know that HH has secured massive investment in SA it can’t go without mention that maybe NUMSA cannot get salary negotiation going because their major shareholder is incarcerate in ZAMBIA for his carelessness. Just my opinion.

    • NUMSA are not even respected in South Africa

      Ignore them

      We are doing just fine

      Thanks

      I have a PhD

      BB2014,2016

    • In one breath you call the government a “regime” and in another you deny it is a dictatorship! What kind of nonsense is this? The Catholic Bishops very neatly wrote, “Our country is now all, except in
      designation, a dictatorship and if it is not yet, then we are not far from it”.

    • A group of wankers who call them selves a trade union… only talk when they are paid

    • their is no smoke without fire.these people were given some good brown envelops by Chagwa to speak this nonsense.they whole world is seeing what is happening in Zambia…lol

  1. NUMSA feels for the real Zambians who are suffering not you. They are doing that because the peple of Zambia helped them gain their rights and dignity from the Arphatheid Regime. You are defending a regime similar to the Apartheid regime.

  2. Mr Kabisa,
    You are just embarrassing yourself by tying to defend that which normal Zambians know that PF gov’t does not mean well. NUMSA should be commended for standing up to support Zambians who are being oppressed by the PF regime. Now I understand why Unions like yours cannot even negotiate for improved conditions for your workers because your thinking is not up to terms with reality on the ground. If you have nothing to talk about keep quite and leave the oppressed to be supported.
    By the way when did you become president of this union? I have never heard of you. You are more of a PF cadre than a union leader. Talk for your workers please, not defending chaos!

  3. @Mature: The fact that you cannot see any flaws in this rubbish clearly shows that you are not capable of critical and independent thinking.

  4. The PF GOV thought it was untouchable I am glad that the international community is now getting involved the only people making comments such as everything in the country is fine and normal are benefiting from the current gov…things are not the same the PF caders are the police the judicial system belongs to the PF….nothing is normal…life is so hard for a lot of people….I don’t support any political party…but this current gov is worse than the UNIP…We need help from the international community.

  5. Zambian unions are compromised…am surprised their docile members even pay them subscription…these foools do not know that the SA union is trying them to wake them up!!

  6. M.Zulu, Jchinody, and Dweny Mwamba,

    There are times when I feel sorry for ignorant and frustrated people like you. For your own information, Irvine Jim is a personal friend of Fred Mmembe. The political advisor to Irvine Jim is Azwell Banda, a Zambian of Malawian origin who, at the MMD Convention of 1991, stood for the Chairmanship of the MMD. Fred Mmembe and Azwell Banda are bosom buddies. This is the truth. So what is coming out of NUMSA is no surprise to those of us who know these characters personally. Now you can go ahead and shower me with the usual insults we have grown accustomed to from you UPND types!

    • Next you will be telling us membe brought the EUs fact finding delegation that went to warn lungu…

    • Doesn’t matter whether Jim is a friend to Mmembe or whoever it is but the fact is what he is saying is the truth obtaining on the ground, but these compromised f00ls in the union in Zambia are saying the opposite just because they only serve their stomachs. Wake up imwee ba kolwe. PF wont be in power forever. What is happening has never happened before in the history of this country! Are you telling me imwee baf1kala you havent seen anything wrong going by your statements. you brains are infested with HIV/AIDS just like Lungu.

    • @Facts Feel sorry for yourself because you have been robbed of objectivity due to blind support for a dictator.

  7. SAD READING iam very Sad to hear that thoughtless writing from a Zambia Union Leader….. Ha badaala This man can write that rubbish ….. And you think he can represent workers in good faith …. in zambia we do not have union readers every thing has gone to the dogs …… our hope is only in Jesus

    • Jesus of Israel!!! the son of God? What are you on?
      In Israel, Docility, Cowardice, corruption, laziness etc are illegal of which most of us Zambians would have been found guilty of treason. not a traffic offence. Our children will pay for our sins. What a shame a **** union leader!

  8. As a Unioin leader dont you know that you have a membership that support UPND PF MMD RP etc ….do you have advisers in ur team or u just type that article at home with your wife on your raptop and post it …. you are a disaster shame on you

  9. Mr Kabisa and his union are very correct!!!
    Let me ask you upnd cadres living in Zambia;HAVE YOU SEEN ANY SIGNS OF CIVIL WAR AS NUMSA STATED?how many media houses have opened since 2011?
    As i told you yesterday that a statement from NUMSA came from friends of HH or Fred M’membe.it has been confirmed that indeed that Irvin is a friend of M’membe.so he wrote lies from M’membe.The Post failed to pay tax,so it closed itself and us taxpayers are happy.HOW MANY ZAMBIANS HAVE LOST PROPERTIES SUCH AS IMPORTED VEHICLES,TVs,PLUS MORE TO ZRA AFTER FAILING TO PAY TAX?SO TO UPND ONLY FRED M’MEMBE IS SPECIAL?
    This is why i love Edgar Lungu because he doesnt favour anybody.Fred M’membe’s cartel took Zambia for granted until ECL showed him that tax avoidance is a big crime!!KEEP IT UP PF GOVNT…

    • Kafisa etc are outside our houses, our phones are bugged, our street are being policed by Government forces in war combat. Juntas in there pockets. mix the 2. then u say Zambia is okey? Examine your brain my pal, you may need Chainama hospital, quick before the Europeans withdraw their funding.

  10. As i told you yesterday,if Zambian citizens stopped buying South African products,its SA which may suffer economically a lot because SA exports a lot of goods to Zambia than Zambia to SA!!!hence that NUMSA secretary does not know what he is talking about.
    But there is nothing to worry about because ZAMBIA IS ENJOYING PEACE AND JUST CELEBRATING U20’S VICTORIES IN SOUTH KOREA SO WE HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE ON HELPING FRED M’MEMBE OR HH IN THEIR PERSONAL FIGHTS WITH GOVNT!!
    let this Irvin visit Zambia,go round the country especially in 6.5 provinces and prove how peaceful Zambia is now minus HH&GBM in society!!our country is as cold (quiet) as Russian snow currently!!
    THE CIVIL WAR IS ONLY IN FRED M’MEMBE OR HH’S HEAD!!
    PLEASE PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU IGNORE ALL THESE EMPTY TINS AND…

    • The only ones enjoying are PF thugs and ministers who get everything for free including talk time……zambians are struggling under the burden of heavy taxes and ever rising prices and unemployment…….

  11. The international community which had gotten accustomed to be calling Zambia a dynamic vibrant democracy are dismayed and dissappointed.

    How can one man lungu wreck a countries whole reputation in a few years ???

  12. @Spaka like lilo.in life one only has to work hard to live like a king.moreover,in a poor country like Zambia,all citizens cant be at same level.with or without HH in state house,poverty levels could have remained the same.
    Then what you forget is that,these media houses are owned by Zambians who support various political parties,hence taking sides.BUT THATS THE MISTAKE THE OWNERS MAKE BECAUSE THE MEDIA SHOULD BE NEUTRAL!!before 2011 Fred M’membe’s Post was pro PF.in 2015 and 2016 M’membe supported HH’s upnd together with Komboni and radio mano,also Muvi TV.hence,they were closed for some time. ASK ANY MEDIA EXPERT IF THESE MEDIA OWNERS WERE IN ORDER BY TAKING POLITICAL SIDES.Radio Ichengelo in Kitwe is very neutral,so no Govnt can think of closing it!!THE MEDIA ARE NOT POLITICAL…

    • @Njimbu! why didn’t these same id1ots close down ZNBC which was and still remains the mouth piece for PF!

  13. Since when should a foreign trade union dictate on the policies of their government and other governments. You South Africans should thank your stars that your freedom fighters were based and protected here in Zambia and that we lost a lot for supporting your liberation. We don’t need you as much as you need us because we have been there before. Being paid by boers or foreign entities will not sway the mentality of Zambians who are not alive to what your paymasters are directing you to do.

  14. Znbc is a mouth peice of GRZ. It is owned by the zambians not mmd unpd pf unip etc. Should green party comes in power znbc will continue functioning and report development programs under GP because GP is the party in power.
    Numsa leader is talking for fred and hh because these two have invested in SA and that they are best of buddies. He should not involve the SA people in his rantings. Zambians are smarter than SA and thats why they are respected their. Zambian unions have migrated from noise makers to smart negotiators. Negotiations for better conditions of service are been achieved without taking to the streets. Boycotting work is old fashioned way which should be left to Numsa. Zambia is a smart enterprise.

  15. What NUMSA has done is similar to a situation where a man goes to his neighbour and ask him if he can watch how his wife dances in bed so that he shows her how his wife does it. Surely whom does this south african *****s think they are?

  16. If you importing too much then you may suffer if they stop selling you kaili you have shrtages. Remember the potato issue in January, is it South Africans who cried about the ban of imported potatoes or Zambia? How many times have Zambia banned importation of cooking oil in pf regime and changed? Without S.A. kwamba ukutantamina essentials

  17. @20 do you know why we were queuing for essentials. It’s because the Zambian government had cut trades with south Africa and late on after Mandela was released the government insisted on using home made products. The Mmd simply removed this restrictio and. Rsa businesses rushed in in numbers.

  18. BA UPND, JUST ADMIT THAT YOUR TUMA SCARE TACTICS HAVE YIELDED NOTHING. AS ZAMBIANS WE ARE RESOLVED TO STAND BY OUR PRESIDENT. WE ARE UNITED AGAINST FOREIGN FORCES. THATS WHEN FOREIGNERS WILL RESPECT US. JUST LIKE THE U-20 LADS WITHSTOOD THE GERMANS. WE WILL STAND LIKE CHINA WHICH WAS INITIALY DESPISED. BUT NOW IT HAS BECOME A STRONG ALLY OF THE WEST AND OF THE USA. YES WE MAY BE POOR. BUT WE WILL NOT BE DERIDED. VERY SOON THE WORLD IS REALISING THAT HH WAS PROVOCATIVE, FOOLISH, LOSER AND A CRY BABY. GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.

  19. I shudder to imagine HH in power all these supporting NUMSA will be the ministers. Tataee. Numsa is a small union it is not International community. It is nothing but a small group paid by MMMembe Fred. It is not a group to worry any one

  20. Are these not the same *****ss who are languishing without pay on their pay day? So money is only available when paying the *****ss to discredit those who have the feelings for Zambians? Is this not how that prostitute disgraced herself when she tried to defend the monkeys on Al Jazeera? Why are some *****ss allergic to the truth?

  21. Do we have foreign affairs in Zambia? Or is South African government that docile to advise their Union to keep quiet? There is something fishy going on in Zambia that most of the citizens do not see. I pray we open our eyes to see what is going on.

  22. President Zuma, I know these bunkums don’t respect you but watch them, they are crossing borders without protocols. This Irvine Jim and Utsi Maimanya (Musi Miamane). They are becoming big headed because they share the same sponsorship with Hakainde Ichilema (mumano) so think they will disturbilise the region because of there selfish motives. What they are doing is not being democratic but destructive. We know your motives batches just get your shares and cheat people. Africa twasebana.

  23. President Zuma, I know these bunkums don’t respect you but watch them, they are crossing borders without protocols. This Irvine Jim and Utsi Maimanya (Musi Miamane). They are becoming big headed because they share the same sponsorship with Hakainde Ichilema (mumano) so think they will disturbilise the region because of there selfish motives. What they are doing is not being democratic but destructive. We know your motives baiche just get your shares and cheat people. Africa twasebana.

  24. This NUMSA chap must use his time to campaign for a freer RSA for every law abiding Malawian, Nigerian and many more faced with the fear of xenophobia.

  25. It’s only in dictatorships like Zambia where mere traffic violations can all of a sudden magically be converted into treason charges by a mwine Chipata called Dununa Reverse Edger Lungu! Of course the lumpen’s ways are dictatorial and that makes him a dictator! He will soon end up like Laurel Kabila!

  26. The Zambian unions do not under their role in as far as political regimes are concerned. Unfortunately, politicians themselves know very well how critical the unions are in the governance system. Unions have a duty to regulate (indirectly) the government of the day and ensure that they do the right thing. The union is one institution that can bring government to its knees and are even capable of taking over political power (Labour Party in UK). It is sad to see unions siding with government when things are going wrong. This is not to say they should always criticize

  27. Its strange when every-time a ruling party is in government they always deny the wrong doing they do until they start facing prosecution after office….The whole world cant be wrong in condemning PF wrong doing….what is wrong with Zambians…MMD did the same now PF…no more recycled politicians

  28. So many sleeping giants in Zambia. Our unions can not see anything wrong in Zambia. They have not seen the voting pattern exhibited last year. They have not seen the partial prosecution of people opposed to the government. Election petition handling and many more. And they are saying everything is okay. Then our unions are very blind. We need a union like NUMSA if Zambia has to move forward.

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