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 I'm not blaming the police but they are not being trained to deal with this violent situation 

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The violent confrontation that claimed more than 30 lives near Lonmin’s Marikana mine, in Rustenburg, did not just happen out of thin air, an analyst said.

“Should we have seen this coming? Yes and no,” said Steven Friedman, director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at Rhodes University and the University of Johannesburg.

“You have a police force who are not properly equipped... You have people failing to realise that we need to stop treating trade unions as a threat and treat them as an asset.

“This industry [mining] is an important industry, but it also comes with human costs. We need a little bit more sensitivity to how difficult this job is.” 

Friedman said the situation at the Lonmin mine was also a good indication that unions had lost touch with their members.

“The NUM [National Union of Mineworkers] by its own admission lost the confidence of its members... If the unions are weak, you have tragedy.” 

Friedman said this showed what could happen in work places if the system of bargaining broke down.

Police moved in on protesters gathered on a hilltop near the mine on Thursday, after days of negotiations. The strike was believed to be linked to rivalry between the NUM and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) over recognition agreements at the mine. Workers also wanted higher wages.

Friedman said union rivalry was common all over the world, but was “more bitter” in South Africa.

“The reason is that for people involved, being in a senior position in a trade union means getting out of poverty. There is an economic motive here, and we wouldn’t be here if we [didn’t] have an economic situation where people have to fight for leadership in unions to have a better life,” he said.

The police have come under heavy criticism for opening fire on the miners.

Friedman said police officers in South Africa were not being properly trained.

“I’m not blaming the police..., [but] our police are not being trained to deal with this violent situation,” he said.

Many people felt that South Africa needed a police force that was tougher, but Friedman said this was not the case.

“It is not a question of being tougher. They [police] are not adequately trained. If you put guns and bullets in the hands of these people, who are not trained properly, you have a problem,” he said.

Part of the problem was also that two police officers had been killed before Thursday’s shooting.

Friedman said this had increased the chance of police on the scene shooting.

“Someone should have been aware of the problem,” he said.

- Sapa

Comments

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Thu May 23 00:27:26 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 17, 2012

RobinH

WHat democracy? It's a myth!
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Aug 17, 2012

LeparaThePresident

“Should we have seen this coming? Yes and no,” said Steven Friedman, director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at Rhodes University and the University of Johannesburg.
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Steven Friedman will always give you a dodgy answer.He reminds me of Eugene Nyathi and Adam Habib. Never a dull moment when they are interviewed. How do u answer Yes and No?
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Aug 17, 2012

babyfats

wareng nnare waboa kapa obatla hoboa.......... mxm mxm
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Aug 17, 2012

LeparaThePresident

@RobinH
WHat democracy? It's a myth!
__________________

RobinH google this "The Smoke that Calls" one of my cybermail friend asked me to read it. It looks like interesting reading. He co-authored that with Professor Karl Holt from Wits(CVSR).




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Aug 17, 2012

ApelMankotsana

I have always listened to Steven Friedman's comments and he seems to be in the same class with one Mr.Masoga used by Capricorn FM. To be honest i do noy blame the poloce at all. It is incorrect for Steven Friedman to suggest that our police are not trained to deal with violent situation. How did expect the police to react in the circumstances. It is also incorrect for Steve to suggest that the violence was as a result of the death of collective bargaining in the mines. That is not true. South African labour force has been given enough powers to collectively bargain with their employers and employees still have bargaining councils, the CCMA and the Labour Courts to push their demands. They are even allowed to strike in terms of section 74 of the Labour Relations Act. Therefore it is incorrect to suggest that the violence is as a result of the death of bargaining. This is not true. We have so many peaceful marches by employees in this country and our labour laws and the constitution have legalised the collective bargaining...What happened yesterday is as a result of hooligans and criminals masquarading as employees.
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Aug 17, 2012

RobinH

lepara: will do. Thanks.
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Aug 17, 2012

Hail

I agree that someone should have been aware of the problem from the mine mangement until to the union not leaving the police out. When people are hungry they are more dangerous than ever! so someone was supposed to have done something to prevent this. This is a very sad day for this country.
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Aug 17, 2012

RobinH

Lepara. Looks interesting, Thanks. Will download and save, as I don't have time to concentrate on it right now. Thanks again.
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Aug 17, 2012

LeparaThePresident

@RobinH
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Ok rite am going toread over weekend. with my wisky on the on=ther hand. hahahahaha!
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Aug 17, 2012

ApelMankotsana

I dont understand why we should blame our police here. These bunch of 'possessed' hooligans were requested peacefully ths week to disperse and they refused. Still this week, they hacked two police officials and other miners who did not want to take part in their brainless protest. Yesterday as they were on top of the hill, they once again ignored peaceful calls from the police to disperse. Then without any amount of provocation, they quickly charged to the police like they were possessed by demons, broke the police barricade. Like a possessed devil, they attacked the police vehicle and still charged towards the police.. They were armed with stell rods, steel pipes, pamgas, machetes, baseball bats and all assortment of weapons still charging towards the police..The police started by using rubber bullest but the lunatics would still charged towards the police as if they are possesed...Now what do we expect teh police to do in the circumstances. Run away? NO.
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