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.
We find it disturbing that those who gave instructions that led to our country’s first post-Apartheid Massacre, committed by the democratic State, against workers remain scot-free. As Numsa, we demand immediate institution of criminal charges against former Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa; former North-West Police Provincial Commissioner Lt-General Zukiswa Mbombo; National Police Commissioner General Riah Phiyega and Lonmin shareholder and billionaire Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. We strongly believe that the prosecution of these key figures might lead to national healing and closure for the families and widows of murdered workers.
Numsa calls on the trade union movement to unify workers irrespective of the t-shirts colours or logos of their unions, and strengthen worker formations to lead and mount a radical programme on the streets, in seeking to break the Colonial and Apartheid wage structure we inherited from our past legacy.
To honour the martyrs of the Marikana Massacre, Numsa calls on unions across all the major Federations in our country to embark on a National Day of Action, amidst the looming jobs loss bloodbath in the retail; mining, steel and engineering sectors, which are going to plunge more working class and poor households into the gallows of poverty. This jobs loss bloodbath is happening within the context of grinding poverty, mass unemployment and escalating levels of inequality, accompanied by scandalous levels of corruption.
Lastly, Numsa will continue to support the struggle of the widows of Marikana for justice to be served on those responsible for the Massacre.
Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA national spokesperson, August 16 2015
