Delegates representing over 200 000 members of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA began voting for their office bearers, including the position of union president Mtutuzeli Tom in Vanderbijlpark on Wednesday.

Union spokesperson Mziwakhe Hlangani said Tom's position was being contested by the union's first deputy president Ben Khoza from the union's Pretoria region and his second deputy Cedric Gina from the KwaZulu-Natal region.

"Delegates from all our regions are here and we are now starting to vote for the four contested positions of union president, first deputy president, general secretary and deputy general secretary," Hlangani said.

The first deputy president position is being contested by Stanford Ndobo and Phillemon Bokaba, while the general secretary position is being contested by current general secretary Silumko Nondwangu and Ivin Gim.

Nondwangu recently reportedly came under fire from the Congress of SA Trade Unions, Numsa's mother body, for being associated with former president Thabo Mbeki's bid for a third term as ANC president, against Cosatu's official position of support for Jacob Zuma, who was eventually elected.

Bheki Msibi is attempting to hold on to the deputy general secretary position and he is contesting the position with Carl Cloete and George Chosane.

It was not known how long the delegates will take to cast their votes, a process which will be followed by the counting of ballot papers.

"The whole process will take the whole day. We might finish counting the ballots at night," said Hlangani.

The election forms part of the union's eighth national congress which is expected to run until 16 October.

Since the congress started on Monday, delegates have been addressed by ANC president Jacob Zuma who touched on the current tussles within the party, particularly focusing on the splinter group he accuses of "trying to steal the freedom charter" - the document that outlays the ANC priorities and goals.

The union represents hourly paid workers and salaried workers in the automotive, tyre, television and cable manufacturing sectors, as well as petrol attendants and mechanics.

Sapa