The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says it has received a letter from attorneys representing the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) demanding that it pay R3.25 million in outstanding affiliation fees owed to the federation‚ and threatening to institute legal proceedings if Numsa fails to comply with this demand. “This is the same Cosatu which expelled Numsa‚ and its then 345‚000 members from its ranks on unfounded and preposterous grounds‚” said Numsa acting spokesperson Patrick Craven.He described it as an “incredible move” which he said could only mean that Cosatu was now not only politically bankrupt‚ but financially bankrupt as well‚ following the departure of Fawu and financial problems within several affiliates.“As part of this new and absurd strategy and in order to fill the coffers of this bankrupt federation‚ Fawu has equally been targeted‚” Craven added.“How else can they explain an attempt to recover money from workers they have expelled and said they no longer want or indeed those who have willingly left their ranks?”Craven noted that on March 30 2015‚ Cosatu’s central executive committee had confirmed the affiliation of a new union‚ the Liberated Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Limusa)‚ led by a former Numsa president‚ Cedric Gina.“They agreed that Limusa met the requirements for affiliation. This confirmed that there was to be no way back for Numsa‚ since Limusa was to be operating in exactly the same sectors of the workforce.”Numsa was intentionally also denied any right to appeal against its expulsion at two separate National Congresses in 2015 - a special congress in July‚ at which Numsa was not allowed to appear and the normal congress in November.“Despite strenuous efforts by Fawu‚ Saccawu and others to allow Numsa to appeal and to reverse the decision to accept Limusa’s affiliation‚ the decisions were endorsed.“Yet now this Cosatu leadership who set up a rival union to steal Numsa’s members is demanding that the workers they threw out must pay to keep them afloat‚” Craven stated.“Not only is this demand for affiliation and political fees an outrage; it has no legal basis. The amount of money being claimed has not been corroborated by any supporting documents and in any case‚ at least a substantial portion thereof‚ would have ‘prescribed’‚ meaning that because the alleged ‘debt’ dates back to 2013‚ more than three years ago‚ it can no longer legally be claimed.“In fact and notwithstanding the unfounded claim raised by Cosatu‚ Numsa confirms that all fees due were correctly paid‚ right up to the day they were expelled. Not a cent more will be paid to Cosatu‚ nor will this defunct federation be bankrolled by the sweat and blood of metalworkers‚” Craven asserted...