Jan Sithole FINALLY bows out of SFTU

MATSAPHA – After leading the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) for 25 years, Jan Sithole yesterday stepped down as Secretary General of the country’s union mother-body.

However, he continues to be a member of the organisation he has helped build since 1984.
Sithole has been replaced by Mduduzi Gina, who beat former Deputy Secretary General Archie Sayed by a landslide margin after tense moments of a voting process conducted through a secret ballot.

The elections, which were monitored by the Council of Swaziland Churches, took place on the third and final day of the 7th SFTU Delegates Congress held at Esibayeni Lodge and attended by 13 affiliates of the organisation.
During the elections, Gina and Sayed were the only persons nominated for the Secretary General’s position, while Sithole did not stand.   
After the voting process had been concluded, the auditorium erupted into song and dance as Gina was announced winner with 70 votes against Sayed’s paltry 30.

Gina, in his maiden speech as Secretary General, acknowledged the role played by his predecessor and appealed to the over 100 delegates for protection of the organisation’s integrity.
“The debates and interrogations witnessed here since the congress began on Friday were a sign that all of you have the best interests of the federation at heart,” Gina said.
He told the delegates that the continued existence of the organisation lay squarely on their shoulders and not his sole responsibility.

“I grew up within the structures of unionism as I joined the workers struggle, while still a young man. I’ve always been a dedicated activist and shall continue to safeguard the interests of the federation,” the new Secretary General said.
In an interview with Sithole, the outgoing leader said Gina was one of the brilliant emerging leaders of the SFTU and assured everyone that “the organisation is in the right hands”.

Gina has been serving as Second Deputy Secretary of the SFTU for the past four years and has been Secretary General of the Swaziland Processing Refining and Allied Workers Union (SPRAWU).
He is also the Swaziland National Provident Fund’s current Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Extra-ordinary Congress for SFTU coming

MATSAPHA – The Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions will hold an extra-ordinary congress in the next few months.

This was one of the resolutions taken at the end of the organisation’s 7th Delegates Congress yesterday afternoon.
The newly-elected national executive committee of the organisation has been given this congress as its first assignment.

“We need to prepare for the extra-ordinary congress and the new executive committee has to start preparations for the event as soon as possible,” new president Barnes Dlamini said.
Dlamini reminded the new committee that leadership was a sacrifice and there was a lot of sacrificing that they had to do.
The agenda, date and other logistics of the congress could not be divulged by the president.

Barnes is new SFTU president 

MATSAPHA – Barnes Dlamini was yesterday elected new president of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions.

Dlamini takes over from Simon Shongwe who reportedly withdrew from the race after numerous consultations and lobbying.

Dlamini and Shongwe were the only persons who had shown interest in the position.
“Shongwe wanted to retain his position and at the beginning of the congress he had indicated that he would stand for the elections. However, he withdrew at the last minute, thereby handing unopposed victory to Barnes,” a source within the National Executive said.

Barnes had served as Deputy President in the previous National Executive and was also at the forefront of the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF). 

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: