The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) condemns in the strongest terms the ongoing human slaughtering and barbaric killings of mineworkers belonging to our sister union the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and mineworkers who belong to the Associated Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) who have been assassinated in recent days at Lonmin in Marikana and around Rustenburg.

The violence perpetuated by workers against other workers is counter-revolutionary and counter-productive. It allows mining capital off the hook from redistributing the wealth of our country that they have so handsomely pocketed for centuries.

These killings are reminiscent of the old apartheid-style execution of mineworkers and trade unionists through state-sponsored black-on-black violence unleashed and in collaboration with vigilantes under the auspices of the failed Inkatha trade union, the United Workers Union of South Africa (UWUSA).

Since the tragic massacre last year of workers in Marikana, we have seen intolerable forms of violence and bloodiest liquidation of workers’ fighting weapons; unions and worker solidarity. Particularly targeted is the NUM.

Government’s inability to holistically address the crises in the mining industry is proof that the state acts in the interest of mining capital that incite violence though divide and rule, fires workers under the guise of retrenchments and extracts our minerals and exports them without adding value or beneficiating them.

As Numsa, we extend our unconditional support and solidarity with all the affected communities whose lives have been shattered by the ongoing violence. We extend our support to our comrades in NUM. We call for peace and stability amongst workers and between AMCU and the NUM.

It is Black and African labour that is being exploited in our country’s mines. It is the Black and African labour that is brutally being murdered and senselessly butchered.

The mineworker’s genuine struggles or demands for a living wage and improved conditions of employment should never be hijacked by vigilantes and populists that have no history of struggle for workers and who are using violence methods to recruit, organise and present themselves as an alternative voice for the exploited mineworkers.

The killing of workers should come to an end. We call on mineworkers to stand united against the enemy and exploiting mining class, as opposed to mercilessly butchering each other. The biggest winners in all these killings are the mining bosses, who do not value the life of another human-being, worse of a worker.

We have consistently warned that our failure to deal with the structure of South African economy, in particular the ownership and control is a recipe for disaster and will lead to violent bloodshed. In Numsa’s view there is no better solution other than to nationalise the mines under workers control.

Inability to do so fails to address the underlying problems and legacy of Colonialism of a Special Type (CST). The unity of all mine workers is more important than divide and rule tactics and strategies.
 
We call on the mineworkers to rally behind each other and stand firm behind these demands adopted by the 11th National Congress of Cosatu, and which will be championed by our federation and all its affiliated unions, in solidarity with the NUM;
• A campaign to radically raise the lowest levels of pay in our country, with demands based on calculations of living requirements. As part of this, Congress will debate the principle of a National Minimum Wage.

• A demand for compulsory centralised bargaining in all sectors. We are convinced that we would not have seen the unfolding of events in the platinum sector if the mining bosses had seen beyond their own self-interests to agree centralised bargaining.

• A pledge to move away from across the board percentage increases only, which we recognize have created inequalities between unskilled and skilled workers. While wages have on average beaten inflation, the real wages of many of our lowest paid members have actually declined.

• A campaign to move away from grading systems which have been imposed over time by the bosses and which disadvantage workers such as the rock drill operators in the mining industry.

Workers who are central to any operation, and those who do dangerous or heavy work, should be rewarded accordingly. The fact that they do not “make decisions” as per the evaluation of the bosses should not be the sole factor in determining pay.

Issued by National Office Bearers (NOBs’)

Contact:
Castro Ngobese, National Spokesperson – 081 011 1137