SACP Gauteng strongly condemns the hype and sensation on alledged "threat to life" of Numsa General Secretary, Irvin Jim

28 November 2013

SACP Gauteng strongly condemns the sensation and hype created on the recent alleged "threat to life" of Numsa General Secretary, Irvin Jim. The alleged "threat to life" is conveniently but wrongly inferred from Facebook postings by the Gauteng Provincial Secretary of Police, Prisons and Civil Rights Union (POPCRU), who is also the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) member of the SACP, comrade Matsemela Matsemela.

Following the unfortunate and regrettable media hype and sensation based on the media statement by NUMSA leadership, SACP Gauteng promptly convened a special Provincial Working Committee (PWC) meeting that was held last night in Johannesburg. PWC afforded comrade Matsemela an opportunity to state his side of the story, a principle and practice in line with the international classic of natural justice.

Indeed comrade Matsemela briefed the PWC about the context and his real intentions. He also provided copies of all other Facebook postings deliberately and conveniently ignored by Numsa leadership in their press statement and briefing to the media.

After a careful consideration of the facts presented by comrade Matsemela, PWC came to the conclusion that it should accept comrade Matsemela`s version and side of the story taking into account the following:

1. The conversation on Facebook had a context, in that two issues were discussed, namely developments in Numsa, Cosatu and the ANC led Alliance, and the controversy on the shootings in Marikana (noting that the matter is still a subject of investigation by the Marikana Commission). The PWC accepted comrade Matsemela`s view that he dealt with the two matters in the same paragraph, with the sentences on Numsa/ANC Alliance, and Marikana immediately following each other. Although this may sound technical, this view is not far from the context taking into account all the preceding and subsequent postings.

2. Comrade Matsemela immediately withdrew the email after his repeated attempt to clarify his intended meaning and context. This was done within a reasonable time in the midst of the continued conversation. This fact was deliberately and conveniently ignored by Numsa leadership.

3. In hearing the other side, and evaluating the context and intention of comrade Matsemela, PWC also considered that at the SACP 13th National Congress held in KZN, Ngoye, Irvin Jim caused sensation and hype, alleging a `` threat to his life", thereby casting aspersions on the most unified and unifying SACP National Congress. In other words, this particular episode demonstrate beyond doubt the ease with which Irvin Jim more often feels `` threats to life" whether perceived or real.

It was in this context that the PWC wish to caution and advice revolutionaries, the working class and the historically oppressed masses in general, that matters of a revolutionary process requires a deliberate and conscious effort to seek the truth and facts, before rushing to creating hype and sensation.

It is always important to differentiate appearance from reality, depth from width. We believe that in this case, Numsa leadership chose width above depth.

PWC concluded in its character as a Marxist-Leninist Vanguard Party, that it should appeal that none of the revolutionary forces and the people in general, should voluntarily stand in the way of moving objects, and when hit by the moving object seek refuge in crying foul. In other words, and as per comrade Matsemela`s version, had Numsa leadership took an effort to get the truth and facts, they would have realised that the posting was not directed to or aganist Irvin Jim.

PWC finally cautioned in the interest of national security as defined in the Freedom Charter, that revolutionaries and the people as a whole, should not easily pronounce on "threats to live" without further effort.

Issued on behalf of the SACP Gauteng Province

Contact:
Mamabolo Jacob: Provincial Secretary: 082 884 1868
Lucian Segami: Provincial Spokesperson: 079 522 0098