NUMSA STATEMENT ON THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARIKANA MASSACRE
16 August 2015
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) joins the exploited and cheaply-paid workers of South Africa, to commemorate the brutal murder and mulling down of 34 workers by the Capitalist’s State in Marikana, 3 years ago.
The Marikana Massacre in 2012 signified the degeneration of our country into a Police State, as evidenced by the continued usage of police and excessive force to undermine popular dissent from below.
Numsa salutes the bravery of the workers who confronted the imperialist British owned Lonmin Company for a living wage of R12 500, in the absence of a legislated National Minimum Wage, as demanded by the Freedom Charter. The mining industry, like many other key sectors of our economy for many years have been heavily dependent on Black and African working class cheap labour, for its profit maximisation and wealth accumulation strategy.
It been three years now, since the mine workers were slaughtered with live ammunition by Police acting in defense of the Minerals/Finance/Energy capital’s interests and profits. The premeditated slaying of these workers has seen justice not being served on those responsible, particularly key politicians and Lonmin Executives. It is our view that the Marikana Report that was released to the public by President Jacob Zuma was a spit on the face of Marikana’s widows and victims’ families, since it was a whitewash and was intended to make the fast fading ANC-government look caring in the eyes of the working class.