NUMSA should be grateful to Zambia – FODEP

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 12:35:15 +0000

By AARON CHIYANZO

THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) should remember that many South Africans were harbored in Zambia during the apartheid era before pushing an agenda for their countrymen to boycott buying Zambian products, Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) president Chimfwembe Mweenge has charged.

Mr Mweenge said that calls by NUMSA secretary general Irvin Jim for South Africans to boycott Zambian products following the arrest and detention of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema were misplaced.

 He said in an interview with the Daily Nation that it was unwarranted for one person to make such a call when Zambia and South Africa had enjoyed warm relations for a long time.

Mr Mweenge charged that the NUMSA secretary general should not forget that South Africans were harbored in Zambia during the apartheid period.

He pointed out that many South African leaders such as Oliver Tambo, Thabo Mbeki and others had made their camp in Zambia during their struggle against apartheid.

Mr Mweenge reiterated that South Africans and Zambians shared a strong bond of friendship which no political situation could break.

“South Africans and Zambians share a very strong bond, their leaders were even harbored in Zambia during the apartheid period. They relied on Zambia for a very long time and that friendship was unbreakable, hence NUMSA’s calls are misplaced,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Mweenge said that the militant approach NUMSA had taken to pass on its message did not solve matters.