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Hands off Paul Verryn!
Castro Ngobese, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa)
January 28, 2010

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) notes with serious concern the personal and venomous offensive targeted and directed towards Bishop Paul Verryn.

We are suspicious that this offensive is being lurched against Bishop Verryn forms part of the broader agenda to discredit his person and social standing in society. The bourgeois media has been co-opted consciously or unconsciously to prosecute Bishop Verryn through public opinion.

To many of us Bishop Verryn is a hero and champion for social justice, peace, solidarity and equality for all underpinned by his long voluntary work and outstanding efforts of assisting and accommodating the daughters and sons of 'garden boys' and 'kitchen girls' from across our borders speaks volume. He is a Bishop that is not detached from the broader struggles and sufferings of the working class and the poor as permeated by capitalism and dictatorship regimes across our boarders. Bishop Verryn's actions personify the rich contribution made by others like Father Trevor Huddleston as guided by liberation theology during the struggle for freedom and liberation.

As Numsa we will study the merits and the demerits of the charges leveled against Bishop Verryn as part of soliciting a solid response and view. Numsa will continue working with Bishop Verryn as part of making sure our brothers and sisters who have been displaced through xenophobic attacks and forced migration to South Africa enjoy equal rights with their South African counterparts.

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