Numsa to donate to Marikana families

"We agreed in the CEC [central executive committee] we will be launching a pledge by Numsa in support of families and children who since last year had a black Christmas."

Numsa made a pledge on Wednesday to donate money to the families of those killed at Marikana last year.

"Yesterday, we were exposed to a film which was so painful, which was even more [painful] than the June 16 massacre," the union's treasurer Mphumzi Maqungo told delegates at a special national congress in Boksburg, on the East Rand.

"We agreed in the CEC [central executive committee] we will be launching a pledge by Numsa in support of families and children who since last year had a black Christmas."

On Tuesday, the first day of the congress, delegates watched a DVD of what happened at Marikana on August 16 last year, when 34 people, mostly striking miners, were shot dead and 78 were wounded.

Police had fired on them while trying to disperse and disarm a group which had gathered on a hill near Lonmin's platinum mining operations.

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is calling for national police commissioner Riah Phiyega to be fired.

Delegates chanted "Down with Riah Phiyega, down. Down with [Police Minister] Nathi Mthethwa, down."

An envelope and a slip of paper with Numsa's banking details was handed out to delegates, guests and the media at the congress. People were asked to donate money to the Marikana fund.