On Wednesday Mmaleso Kwadi and three male colleagues were accosted by striking Anglo American workers in Amandelbult, near Northam in Limpopo.

Their "crime" was going to work while their colleagues were on strike, which began seven weeks ago.

Their decision to go to work would result in total humiliation for the four "amagundwane" or rats, a term used on those who refused to strike.

Kwadi and the three men were taken to Mlanje Stadium. There, in full view of the other miners, they were ordered to strip naked.

Kwasi said: "I will be honest and say that I was very scared. One of them struck me with a stick on my thigh and told me to take off my clothes. It was clear to me that they were serious and I did as I was told."

One of the men reportedly tried to put up a fight, but was assaulted.

"He was hit with a stick in his face and had to get stitches to his lips. So we all ended up stripping and were made to walk around the stadium until the police intervened," Kwadi said.

"While we were taking our clothes off, they started singing 'tlhobola' (take off your clothes). It was very humiliating but I did as I was told," she said. As colleagues pointed, jeered and took photographs of her naked, the only thing on Kwadi's mind was her children's welfare.

"I have two children aged 14 and 10 and I work for them. If I had put up a fight, my children would have had no one to take care of them."

Police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said: "The police moved in when they realised people were being attacked.

"Six people were arrested."

Comments

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Sun May 26 08:36:04 SAST 2013 ::

Nov 2, 2012

warry

This is becoming too much. Haaaiiii man, no no no. No one is supposed to go through this.
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Nov 2, 2012

Chichi7

Amazing how we expect other people to respect us when we can not respect each other. I no longer feel sympathy for these miners as they have taken things way out of context. Killing and now this? I hope mines start bringing machinery to do the jobs of humans and get rid of them and only then will they learn the hard way.
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Nov 2, 2012

Pointman

Bloody perverts - this is labour relations AMCU style. The state will do nothing about this kind of barbaric intimidation.
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Nov 2, 2012

thandoluhle

hmmmm
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Nov 2, 2012

THEmadame2B-BBEE

Illiterate ppl are a problem i’m trying to figure out why they are not extinct
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Nov 2, 2012

Mellow

I dont know what to say just speechless totally speechless
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Nov 2, 2012

SHANDIS

One of the former aparteit leaders once said "Give them guns nad they will ands hoot one another and give them power they will opress one another" It is literally happening. Ra lla when the police shoot these pallucas
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Nov 2, 2012

Nongoloza24

Bloody perverts.
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Nov 2, 2012

Nongoloza24

Mellow
I dont know what to say just speechless totally speechless
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Then shut the HELL up...
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Nov 2, 2012

Mosquer

'tlhobola' tlhobola tlhobola

Eish it's so humilating.
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