New ‘state capture’ claim pops up in SA mining sector
In a bid to prove that it is not ‘captured’, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, David Sipunzi, has come clean about how, in the past, the union was allegedly approached by the Gupta family and offered money and support.
Speaking to eNCA, Sipunzi said that his (failed) 2012 campaign for office was funded by Gupta mining company, Shiva Uranium, and that the union has now also received a R1.5 million donation from the family’s Oakbay Resources.
NUM used to be the biggest affiliate union of Cosatu, with over 300,000 members; however, membership figures have dwindled over the years, with the union now seeing around only 200,000 members.
Sipunzi noted that his successful 2015 campaign for the role of NUM SG was not sponsored by anyone, as it was public knowledge that Shiva had been involved in 2012, and he did not want his campaign to be tainted by allegations of support.
Sipunzi told eNCA that two months into his new job, however, he was approached by Tony Gupta, and another man – who he speculates may have been Duduzane Zuma.
The union was again approached when South Africa’s banks closed Gupta accounts – and the union approached Oakbay when looking for sponsorship of one of its conferences, where R1.5 million was granted.
According to eNCA, the NUM declarations are part of an attempt by the union’s leaders to distance the organisation from talk of being ‘captured’.
This, in the wake of the union raising concern over Eskom CEO Brian Molefe’s resignation, which union leaders say was premature.
NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu came out in support of Molefe, saying that “there’s no doubt that Eskom was starting to stabilise the power supply in the country under his leadership”.
Molefe decided to tender his resignation after being heavily implicated in the Public Protector’s state capture report, which detailed his close relationship with the Gupta family (whom he calls “very good friends”) and allowing questionable contract moves with Gupta companies to take place under his watch.
The executive maintains his innocence in the matter, but said it was in the best interests of Eskom to step down.
Spectators would have seen NUM’s alignment with Molefe as putting the group in alignment with the Guptas, which is a perception it is now trying to break.
Read: DA lays criminal charges against Eskom CEO Brian Molefe
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