POLITICAL PARTIE'S CALL FOR URGENT INVESTIGATION

Picture:http://www.news24.com
Armed mine workers protesting

Political partie's call for urgent investigation after strike ended in bloodshed yesterday in Rusternburg. Mine workers embarked on an illegal strike that has been going on for days, and violence erupted. It is estimated that since the strike began a number of 10 people and more have died.“The loose of even one worker is always one life too many, but the killing of 10 people is a tragedy of epic proportions”ANC spokesperson Khusela Sangoni-Khawe said in a statement. About 3000 operators downed tools in an illegal strike and began protesting. The protest are believed to be linked to rivalry between two unions the national union of mine workers(NUM) and the association of mine workers and construction union(AMCU) over recognition agreement at the mine. Workers demanded a wage hike. They claim that they are earning R4000 a month, with those leaving outside the hostel earning R1000 extra. Reported demands have included pay of R12 500 a month. Striking mineworkers were armed with machetes, pangas, and rocks. There were 400 police officers called to patrol the village, and monitor the mine workers, but that did not seem to stop the mine workers from embarking on an illegal strike. On Thursday (16-08-2012) it was reported that there was a shootout between police and sticker’s .The shootout left over 30 people dead. The political parties namely:

·         ANC

·         IFP

·         COPE

·         DA



Picture:http://www.news24.com

Police officers during the shooting of mine workers

Have called for an investigation by an independent body into what started the killings at the Lanmin mine in Marika in the North West. ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said the ANC was shocked about what happened. "All of us feel very saddened by the violence we have seen on television," he said. Democratic Alliance said it was shocked and appalled by what had happened at Lonmin."We call on union leaders, the police and everyone else involved to immediately work towards a de-escalation of the conflict," the party said. "The families of everyone involved, and indeed the nation, deserve to know how and why this bloodshed occurred," it said. The Azanian People's Organisation compared the violence in Marikana to the Sharpeville and Soweto shootings. “As Azapo we can only describe the situation as a massacre not different from March 21, 1960 in Sharpeville; June 16, 1976 in Soweto and June 17, 1992 in Boipatong," the party said. People who are involved in the shooting are to be suspended from work. The shooting took the nation by shock and it raised to questions of could there have been a better way to prevent this blood shared? Whom to blame for this chaos, the mine workers who embarked on an illegal strike armed with machets,or the police who were to monitor the situation that got out of had?or the two unions?.The matter is still investigated.for more infor http://www.news24.com/RelatedGalleryItemModal.aspx?type=image&id=cb83a5cb-2b76-4dc4-9c95-76a27d2757de&itemNum=0&iframe