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Marikana massacre

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The Marikana miner strike was a 2012 strike at the South African Marikana mine owned by leading platinum producer Lonmin.

Initial strike

On 10 August 2012, the National Union of Mineworkers began a series of strikes linked to demands for increased pay, against a backdrop of antagonism and violence between the union and its newly-formed rival, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union. 3,000 workers walked off the job at Marikana platinum mine operated by Lonmin at Nkaneng near Rustenburg.[1] Four mineworkers were shot and wounded in clashes in the first day of the strike.[2] On 13 August, nine people, including two police officers, were killed at the same mine. Three of the dead were miners shot by police.[3]

Nkaneng Hill shooting

On 16 August the striking miners gathered on Nkaneng Hill armed with spears and sticks.[4] A large group of women, some armed with knobkerries, joined them. Marie Nku was quoted as saying that: “We have joined our husbands in their bid to earn a living wage. We cannot take this thing anymore. We are joining them in their fight; we are the ones who suffer at home because of the peanuts that our husbands earn."[5] Hours later police opened fire. Initial reports put the death toll at 18[6] but it currently stands at 'more than 30'.[7] The miners were carrying spears and sticks and had refused a request to disarm. Eyewitnesses said that the miners had approached police lines and thrown either petrol bombs or grenades at the police, who responded by opening fire on the strikers.[8] The Congress of South African Trade Unions, a union federation to which the strikers are opposed,[9] claimed that police had first used tear gas and water cannon on the miners, who responded with "live ammunition".[10] There have been a number of incidents of violent Political Repression in Post-Apartheid South Africa but this shooting is the most lethal by South African authorities since the end of the apartheid era in South Africa.[11] It is being widely described as a 'massacre' in South Africa.[12][13]

Reactions

The police ministry said that while protesting is legal, "these rights do not imply that people should be barbaric, intimidating and hold illegal gatherings." The ministry defended the police's actions, saying that this was a situation in which people were heavily armed and attacked.[8]

President Jacob Zuma expressed "shock and dismay" at the violence and called on the unions to work with the government to "arrest the situation" before it spirals out of control.[14] Zuma also instructed the police to bring justice to the perpetrators and to bring the situation under control.[8]

According to the New York Times, "Frans Baleni, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, defended the police in an interview with Kaya FM, a radio station" saying that "The police were patient, but these people were extremely armed with dangerous weapons."[6]

The opposition party Democratic Alliance criticized the police attack.[1]

Further Reading

References

  1. ^ a b "Police open fire on South African miners". Al Jazeera. 16 August 2012. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Mineworkers shot in mine clash". News24.com. South African Press Association. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  3. ^ "South African platinum mine union riots 'kill nine'". BBC News. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  4. ^ Beyond the chaos at Marikana: The search for the real issues, by Greg Marinovich, The Daily Maverick, 17 August 2012
  5. ^ Miners’ wives join Lonmin protest, Business Report, SAPA, 16 August 2012
  6. ^ a b Lydia Polgreen (16 August 2012). "Mine Strike Mayhem Stuns South Africa as Police Open Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 August 2012
  7. ^ Lonmin's burning: Mthethwa says over 30 killed, Phillip de Wet, Mail & Guardian, 17 August, 2012
  8. ^ a b c "Miners killed at South Africa's Lonmin Marikana mine". BBC News. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  9. ^ Beyond the chaos at Marikana: The search for the real issues, by Greg Marinovich, The Daily Maverick, 17 August 2012
  10. ^ "Mine massacre claim as police open fire on striking workers". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 August 2012. Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  11. ^ "South African police open fire as striking miners charge, killing and wounding workers". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  12. ^ The Night Before Lonmin's Explaination, by Richard Stupart, African Scene, 16 August 2012
  13. ^ ‘Massacre’ outrage as workers die in bloodbath at Marikana, BY MONDE MAOTO AND NATASHA MARRIAN, 'BUSINESS DAY, AUGUST 17 2012
  14. ^ David Smith and Terry Macalister (16 August 2012). "South African police shoot dead striking miners". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
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