NUM member killed in Rustenburg
22 May 2014
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is extremely saddened and disgusted that its member was stabbed and killed this morning when he was on his way to work at Union Mine in Limpopo.
"We can confirm that our member who is from Mozambique was killed at Sondela Squatter Camp in Rustenburg when he was on his way to work. He is one of the NUM members who returned to work last week and he was threatened that he should stop going to work by the striking workers.
"We are sick and tired of these continuing killings of our members. We are appealing to our government to do something about these killings," said Steve Modimokwane, NUM Branch Chairperson at Union Mine in Limpopo.
The NUM strongly condemns in the strongest possible words the continuous killings of its members in the platinum belt. The NUM is alarmed that the situation in the platinum mines and its escalating violence has been allowed to continue unabated by the law enforcement agencies and the mine security in the platinum belt.
"When 7000 NUM members embarked on an 11-week strike at Northam Platinum in Limpopo it was very disciplined. Not a fly was hurt. Even in this strike, our members who are not part of this strike must be allowed to report for duty but that is not happening," said Frans Baleni, NUM General Secretary.
There is no need for striking workers to be violent during their industrial action. It is possible for workers to lead a peaceful, bloodless and effective legal strike like what NUM did at Northam Platinum.
The NUM still maintains that violence strikes are unnecessary and they should never be allowed to replace dialogue.
Finally, we call on our members and other workers to know that they are pawns in a game of greedy capitalists and their henchmen when they kill each other. We call on workers in the platinum belt to stop killing one another but build unity in order to fight for improved wages and better working conditions. They must not allow mine bosses to divide and weaken them. Workers will gain nothing from fighting and killing one another.
Statement issued by Livhuwani Mammburu: Acting NUM National Spokesperson, May 22 2014
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