‘Mtolo’s remarks were unfortunate’: Nehawu withdraws R2m lawsuit against KZN ANC secretary

The National Education, Health, and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) will be withdrawing their R2 million court challenge against the African National Congress (ANC) and KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo following a “major breakthrough.”

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula held a media briefing on Monday afternoon after a meeting between the ANC and Nehawu to address ongoing public engagements between Mtolo and the union in the province.

The meeting was attended by Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) secretary general Solly Phetoe, Nehawu president Mike Shingange, and Mtolo.

‘Major breakthrough’ between ANC and Nehawu

The secretary-general announced a “major breakthrough” between the party and the union regarding competency remarks Mtolo made.

Speaking at an ANC event commemorating Nelson Mandela’s birthday in Kokstad, he blamed Cosatu-aligned Nehawu for inefficiencies in the public sector. 

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This included long queues at Home Affairs, a lack of service delivery at the Health Department, and poor care at the Social Security Agency, South African Social Security Agency (Sassa).

As a response, Nehawu issued a statement demanding that he retract his comments and then launched a R2 million lawsuit against the party and Mtolo.

Mbalula called Mtolo’s remarks “unfortunate” and said the platform he used to air his views fuelled tensions.

“The meeting appreciated that Cde Mtolo’s remarks were unfortunate and the platform chosen to air such views fuelled the tensions, rather than a constructive political engagement between members of the Alliance,” he said.

Mtolo to issue ‘unconditional’ apology

Therefore, Mtolo will issue an unconditional apology to the union, and he will retract his statements.

The secretary-general added that Nehawu will withdraw their legal case against the party and Mtolo.

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“Going forward, we have agreed to conduct a joint programme in KwaZulu-Natal with Cosatu and Nehawu to engage with the workers on the ground and clear the air on matters that have polarised relations as a result,” Mbalula said.

He added that personal attacks and labelling people “buffoons, morons” was not the way to debate and engage with issues.

This was in reference to Nehawu’s statements in July where it accused Mtolo of not understanding the significance of the union’s work.

“We take an exception to this political buffoon called Mtolo. It’s unfortunate that the ANC in KZN finds itself led by a political moron like Mtolo, who has become a loose cannon at the detriment of the movement,” said Nehawu statement in July.

Article of KZN Nehawu dropping ANC for MK ‘fake news’

Meanwhile, it was also reported that the Nehawu structures in KwaZulu-Natal want to drop the ANC in favour of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.

Shingange denounced the article as “fake news.”

“We categorically clarified that wherever they said we have structures that have been spoken about on this or that, there are no such structures that exist,” the Nehawu president said.

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Shingange added that the union officials who were quoted in the article have distanced themselves.

Watch the full media briefing here: