05 September 2012

We, the members and representative of 19 community organisations based in the greater Cape Town area;

Condemn the massacre of the Lonmin mineworkers and the continued efforts by the state and the Lonmin bosses to smash the strike. These efforts include regular raids at night on workers’ homes by the special task force of the SAPS.

We unequivocally support the struggle of the mineworkers to a minimum living wage of R12500 per month. In this regard we have noted the recent report of the LRS that highlighted that the profits alone of 9 major mining companies is enough to actually pay each and every of the 327000 mineworkers a monthly salary of R88000. Alternatively over 2.3 million workers can be employed at the rate that the Lonmin workers are demanding of R12500.

We condemn the SAPS and the ANC government for openly siding with the mining bosses and its anti-working class positions and actions demonstrated for well over a decade. Its regular elections’ slogan of a “Better life for All” is just that, a hollow and meaningless slogan. For several years now it has brazenly acted against working class and poor people in its policies and main activities in government by its economic and social policies, corruption and theft of state resources that could be directed towards the poor and its constant violent repression against working class opposition and protests.

The leading ANC politicians’ interests are intertwined with that of white monopoly capital and specifically in the case of Lonmin it is Cyril Ramaphosa, ironically a former leader of the mineworkers’ union, NUM. This makes the Marikana massacre of striking workers no accidental tragedy. It was well planned and executed by the elite forces of the SAPS to smash the strike on the basis of “shoot to kill” in the interests of Lonmin bosses.

Lots of evidence has recently come to light that many of the workers were shot at close range, execution style while running away and not in view of the media’s TV cameras. Several workers were killed by being driven over by armoured vehicles and crushed to death. Since then 270 of the workers were detained and later charged with murder for apparently killing their own comrades. Yet the police murderers remain free and their fate might be determined by the commission of inquiry.

The miners were detained for over two weeks and denied their basic rights. They were not allowed bail and access to family members, cleaning facilities or clean clothes. In other words they were treated worse than animals. Yet right-wing farmers who murder black children are given luxury treatment and get off virtually free under the same prosecuting authority that is determined to press ahead with the ridiculous murder charges on the basis of common purpose. The cruel irony of this is that it is happening under a “democratic, black majority government”.

It is for this reason that we will be marching to parliament and against the ANC government on Saturday 8th September, 10am and demanding JUSTICE FOR LONMIN WORKERS AND THE MARIKANA COMMUNITY and;

• ALL MINEWORKERS TO BE RELEASED UNCONDITIONALLY & COMPENSATED FOR WRONGFUL ARREST. FULL COMPENSATION FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE MASSACRED AND THE INJURED

• ALL MINEWORKERS TO GET A LIVING WAGE OF A MINIMUM R12500 PER MONTH

• ARREST THE POLICE AND ALL THEIR COMMANDERS WHO COMMITTED THE MASSACRE

• WE WANT ALL THE NAMES OF THE DEAD, INJURED, MISSING, THE ARRESTED.

• ARREST THE LONMIN BOSSES AND ALL MINING BOSSES WHO HAVE BEEN STEALING THROUGH TRANSFER PRICING; RETURN ALL ASSETS STOLEN BY THE MINE BOSSES!

• NATIONALISE THE MINES UNDER WORKERS’ CONTROL!

Marches will also take place in Johannesburg and other centres. Protest demonstrations will be happening in Vienna, Paris, Buenos Aires, San Francisco and London.

The Unemployed People’s Movement in Grahamstown is currently initiating solidarity committees in various centres of the Eastern Cape.

For further comment please contact:

Martin Jansen ph 0828702025

Mercia Andrews ph 0823683429

Chumani Maxwele ph 0727666917

Shaheed Mahomed ph 0822020617