Tebogo Msimanga |
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) says it views August month as one of the most unfortunate months that ever happened in the history of its existence. Nine years ago, 34 mineworkers were killed after they were shot by heavily armed police officers. The miners demanded 12,500 basic monthly salary .
NUM Acting General Secretary William Mabapa said it is an unfortunate month in the sense that what happened in August 2012 has been projected and used by any disgruntled people, who want to launch their political relevancy at the expense of the plight of the victims of those who were brutally killed and injured around the platinum belts of Rustenburg, in particular the striking workers at Lonmin workers.
“Our call has always been that those victims must also be remembered. As a responsible trade union, we are appealing for people to refrain from politicizing this sensitive event. We should all strive to assist all the victims to find an amicable closure.”
Mabapa added that this unfortunate event exposed the lack of integration of the industry and the national transformation by the way of giving black mineworkers sufficient compensation and proper accommodation to reclaim their human dignity.
“It is unfortunate that the event has been politically projected, not for the interest of the victims, but for political relevance. We still maintain that the instabilities that engulfed the platinum belts were politically motivated.”
