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RESOLUTE. Striking Marikana mineworkers march to Shaft 3 yesterday to demand that all operations at the mine be shut down pending their demand for a R12500 pay packet. PHOTO: ANTONIO MUCHAVE

 What we are paid at the moment does not even help us to sustain ourselves and our dependents 

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Yesterday they marched to Shaft 3 and called for all operations, including work done by artisans, managers and administrative staff, to be halted.

They vowed not to return to work until their demand for a R12500 a month pay packet was met .

Jan Thirion, senior manager at Shaft 3, pleaded with workers to allow peace accord talks that are currently on in Rustenburg to go on. But they were adamant that the solution lies in salary increases.

Johannesburg Methodist Church's Bishop Paul Verryn, who was among the workers, told Sowetan: "I am distressed by disparities at every level of our society.

"Mine managers are talking to workers behind barbed wires surrounded by heavily armed police and security.

"A peaceful resolution will take serious negotiations and for management to understand workers' demands," said Verryn.

Siphelele Mqithi, who has been a rock driller for eight years, said workers were not worried about losing income because of the strike.

"What we are paid at the moment does not even help us to sustain ourselves and our dependents," he said.

Marchers held their sticks high and sang songs in praise of expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, whom they implored to protect them from the "harsh wind" they feel in the mountains and underground in the mines.

 They also sang derogatory songs about President Jacob Zuma, singing Silawulwa isidenge eSouth Africa (we are ruled by a fool in South Africa).

A 14-year-old Grade 9 pupil at Marikana Combined School, Lebogang Ralikwana, said he lived in fear. His mother earns a living washing and ironing clothes for mine workers. "They (protesters) allow us to go to school, but since the killing of people we are scared," he said.

Meanwhile, National Union of Mineworkers spokesman Lesiba Seshoka yesterday said striking workers at the Gold Fields' KDC gold mine near Carletonville have returned to work.

The workers have been on an illegal strike since last week after a charge for funeral cover was deducted from their salaries, allegedly without their blessings.

They demanded that the NUM branch leaders be removed.

"The leadership of the NUM has engaged with these workers and made a commitment to investigate their demands," said Seshoka.

Comments

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Tue Jun 18 07:39:46 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 6, 2012

Pointman

If it was purely wage negotiations, then progress would have been made towards a settlement. However these hard working people are being exploited by political opportunists and power hungry unionists.
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Sep 6, 2012

Chichi7

Mine managers are talking to workers behind barbed wires surrounded by heavily armed police and security
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What do they expect the mine managers to do when they the workers are coming for talks armed to the teeth!

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Sep 6, 2012

spatch

CEO and managers are not dead as claimed by miners?

The miners can not be trusted to keep their promise.

Supply and demand.

I can supply 500 000 car guards to work underground and they only demand R3990 pm.

These jobs do not require a rocket science University degree, just some days training.


There are millions of whites and blacks working for R4000 pm or less.
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Sep 6, 2012

Ompas

Its a pity for this miners as they wont get the money they want and may end up losing their jobs.Their families suffer in turn as they dont know what they wish for as the want this mines to be closed.
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Sep 6, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

This people have declared war on the mine this is no longer about wage negotiations is an all out war fueled by an irrresponsible fat boy who had a steak and lobster dinner while the poor miners remain loyal to his mor0nic rhetory. This is sad sometimes ABET training is important so that people can learn simple addition, subtraction and reading this basic training would help this guys to know that carrying on like this will not help them. This mine cannot afford to meet their wage demands period, the unions know this because the were privy to the mines financials this wage demand is simply not achievable. These lads should just agree to what the mine has to offer or leave the mine and wait for Malema's pigs would fly Nationalisation sewer pipe dream!!!
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Sep 6, 2012

spatch

Malema and Robot Mugape in Zimbobwe like to call the shots in the mines.

In Zimbobwe, R G Mugape pays miners R820 pm.

Bwakwakwakwakwa
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Sep 6, 2012

DjEp

These people are brainwashed and used by someone waiting to gain both politicaly and otherwise. these people are now resorting to cash loans while the master mind is living large in a penthouse in Sandton. they have been doing this job for years and getting paid exactly that and all of a sudden that money can no longer sustain them? that statement alone is enough to say there is someone behing thiss
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Sep 6, 2012

Danger1985

@ Pointman, whilst I agree that a wage negotiation would have made progress but the question we should be asking is to whose benefit?How do they really expect people to live of R4500 in this day in age?These workers cant even afford 2 send their school to proper schools let alone universities...a negotiation woul have seen the workers going back 2 work with little progress being made towards getting better "living wage" & they would have ben forced to work overtime at peanuts...
@ Chichi, yes they were armed to the teeth...what did you expect them to go there with, holding their payslips to show their disgruntlement. Maybe this is one of the better suited ways to make their employer realize the gravity of this case...maybe if the workers hits Lonmin were it hurts the most they might get better "living wages" let alone a decent salary
Just yesterday a mining magnate in Australia was sayin African are willing to work for US$2 a day...you do the maths
Let them strike, the nation and the world at large must be made aware of such anomalies and maybe it might facilitate for "change."
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Sep 6, 2012

_Sinudeity

Just close the friggin mine already. 40,000 people dont need jobs.
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Sep 6, 2012

spatch

Malema's other hero Kim Jong-il in N Korea pays R3 per day, if funds are available.

Bwakwakwakwa
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