WELL DONE LONMIN WORKERS IN MARIKANA FOR REACHING AN AGREEMENT ON SALARY INCREASE

On Tuesday, the 18th of September 2012, Lonmin Mineworkers in Marikana reached an agreement with the employers on increase of salaries of all mineworkers, including Rock Drill Operators who had been on strike for over a period of six weeks. The strike and protest action for better wages had many other by-consequences including a massacre of 34 workers committed by the South African police, and arresting of more than 260 mineworkers for protesting. We congratulate the mineworkers for standing up, leading themselves and demanding decent wages from the Mine bosses until they reached a settlement they announced on Wednesday, the 19th of September 2012.

The workers led themselves in the absence of credible Unions to represent them and workers fought their own battles in the absence of political leadership in the country to give guidance. As Economic Freedom Fighters, we went to the ground and stood side by side with mineworkers and resounded their voices to make them louder and gain national and international attention that they need help. We stood alongside workers when the South African government and State dismally failed to help workers and instead chose to use maximum force to kill some amongst the workers.

Now that a wage settlement has been found, there should be thoroughgoing pursuit of justice for the families and friends of families whose children, husbands, and fathers were brutally killed in a cold blooded massacre by the police.

The criminal and civil cases against the perpetrators of violence should ensue and be completed in a manner that will secure justice for the people who became victims and casualties of the cold blooded massacre and injuries. The strength, durability and sustainability of South Africa's democracy and freedom will be tested with the events that should now happen to secure justice for the victims of Marikana massacre.

As Economic Freedom Fighters, we have assembled a team of Legal Representatives who are acting pro bono to pursue all the criminal, civil and commission of enquiry aspects that are consequent of the Marikana massacre and they are already in touch with the workers and will represent them. Attempts by others to destruct workers should be rejected and despised because these other Lawyers and Senior Advocates who now claim to represent workers were nowhere to be found in the hour of workers' need.

The wage settlement in Marikana should also serve as an inspiration to all other mineworkers across the country to stand up and demand adequate salaries and payment. Whatever will be demands of workers, Economic Freedom Fighters will be on the side of workers and will do everything in our power politically, ideologically, and logistically to provide support for mineworkers and all other workers who demand adequate salaries and working conditions. Our people have been suffering for a long time and we will never step aside whenever they need our companionship and help on the hour of need. We will never abandon mineworkers and we are always available.

The wage settlement in Marikana should also serve as a Clarion call to the labour movement, weak as it is, civil society, government and legislators to now mobilize for a new minimum wage and minimum living conditions for all mineworkers. The time has arrived to decisively give direction on what should be the minimum wages of all mineworkers and what should be defined as acceptable human settlement conditions for these mineworkers.

There is no any other time to provide decisive leadership on this question, except now because the colonial-cum-apartheid design of migrant labour system should be abolished and human forms of employment be introduced. The view that South Africa should start to benchmark salaries and living conditions of workers with Australia is a very progressive one and a study should be commissioned with the aim of emulating the best practices of the Australian mining industry, the role of Labour, legislation and the State. It should be looked into as a matter of priority.

As Economic Freedom Fighters we will be part of all necessary political and ideological efforts that are aimed at securing sustainable solutions for the people of South Africa. We have pioneered a new discourse on resource management and the role of the State thereof and our interventions are not only sound and fair, but enjoy massive support in the ANC and whole of society.

The struggle for Ecomomic Freedom is about bettering the living conditions of all South Africans, and we are glad that with our solidarity and support, workers in Lonmin have secured a wage settlement which is a step towards better life. More still needs to be done. No surrender! No retreat! ASIJIKI! 

Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, September 19 2012

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter