The Labour Court in Johannesburg has dismissed the National Union of Metalworkers’ of South Africa’s application for leave to appeal its interdict against convening a national congress in Cape Town.
Last week, the court granted the union’s aggrieved leaders and members an urgent application to stop the election of new national leadership. However, Numsa defied the court order claiming that it had satisfied all the requirements of the court concerning its central committee’s infringement of the union’s constitution.
Meanwhile, a group of Numsa members have been barred from entering the International Convention Centre which is the venue of the congress.Dozens of Numsa members have been demonstrating just outside the entrance to the venue where the congress is currently under way.On Wednesday, the Western Cape region walked out of the congress, after the province’s leadership claimed that it did not comply with Numsa’s constitution, because the Mpumalanga region was excluded from attending.