The miners set up camp on a hill called wonderkop near the lonmin mine. South african police, in an attempt to break an illegal strike at a platinum mine in the countrys northwest, shot and killed thirtyfour miners in broad daylight. They did not properly transfer this asset to the marikana. On 16 august 2012, after six days of strikes at a mine in the north west province in south africa, police and striking miners clashed. The marikana massacre, the rule of law and south africas violent democracy article pdf available in hague journal on the rule of law 72 november 2015 with 970 reads how we measure reads. The marikana story is about much more than a strike for higher wages, it is also a story about a crisis in social reproduction. Finance minister nhlanhla nene cited labour market disruptions as a key reason for the revision.
Workers are also allowed by legislation to embark on strikes when disputes with their employers arise. It is highly doubtful that the striking miners intended to attack the. The incident took place on the 25year anniversary of a nationwide south african miners strike. An assessment of the potential effect of the marikana. Zuma hit hard against the 70,000 or so mine workers on strike when he suggested they were. He has confessed to being one of the miners involved in the 2012 strike and to being involved in killing. Marikana, migration, mining and the crisis of modern south africa. Prompting the longest strike in the countrys mining history. The attack reminded many people of the massacres inflicted by white supremacist forces during the apartheid era, except this time it was black people who. The august 2012 wildcat strike by workers at a lonmin mine in the marikana area in south africa resulted in a confrontation between miners. South africas lonmin marikana mine clashes killed 34, 17 august 2012. In marikana, where 34 striking miners were shot dead by police during a wildcat strike against lonmin in 2012, the length of this years stoppage has left many miners cashstrapped despite wage hikes of up to 20% as they have to repay debt that piled up when they didnt have a pay cheque.
Investigations have revealed one man emerged who tried to lead the men to a. Because the management of the mine came under severe pres. These events constituted the largest act of lethal force against civilians in the postapartheid era. Pdf on 16 august 2102, 34 striking miners were killed by the south african police service at a platinum mine in marikana in the northwest of south. Marikana mine, marikana, rustenburg rustenburg district, bojanala platinum district, north west, south africa. Writing about the 1946 african miners strike, ruth first asserted that it was one of those great historic. The smelter was the only unit still operating and the marchers. Thirtyfour people were killed in the massacre on august 16.
This conflict was linked to an unprotected strike that a group of miners had embarked on and that. Pdf on oct 4, 2018, chitja twala and others published the marikana massacre. Marikana itself, a mining town close to the city of rustenburg, has been hit hard by the protracted strike. Marikana the causes and wider implications and lessons for. Centurion police witness mr x is testifying via video link at the marikana inquiry. In the tradition of scholars like benedict anderson, it ex amines the connections between nationalism and print culture, but with reference to a single important event. Just as disturbing is at whose hands they were summarily executed, and what those deaths highlight. After the strike, anglo american platinum, amplats, announced that it planned to sell four mines and two joint ventures because of the fivemonth long strike action. The event has left indelible socioeconomic and emotional scars on the already shaking south african landscape. Four days ago, the world pointed the first anniversary of the police massacre that killed 34 platinum miners in the northern town of marikana, south africa. On august 4, 1946 over one thousand miners assembled in market square in johannesburg. Bbc news, south africas lonmin marikana mine clashes killed 34, 17 august 2012. Lonmin marikana mine, marikana, rustenburg rustenburg district, bojanala platinum district, north west, south africa. A judicial commission of inquiry set up to investigate how it came about put much of the blame on the police.
Marikana platinum mine, rustenburg, south africa mining. Marikana, cheap labour and the 1946 miners strike chris webb puts the lonmin massacre in some historical perspective. Dissertation submitted to the school of law in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree master of laws in labour studies. The massacre of thirtyfour striking platinum miners on the 16 august 2012 near the. On 8 august, 2012, rock drill operators met with num leaders to demand a salary increase. This article analyses some of the reasons for the violent repression of the miners strike in marikana, south africa, in which 34 people died on 16 august 2012. Aug 17, 2012 violence between competing unions at south africas mines is threatening to weaken africas largest economy. The process culminated in the longest strike in south african mining history. That these proceeding events may have had an impact on returns which continued after the marikana incident is possible but not. Lonmin plc lmi is a uk mining company with its operational headquarters in johannesburg. Chris webb puts the lonmin massacre in some historical perspective. The marikana massacre, which took place on 16 august 2012, was the most lethal use of force by south african security forces against civilians since 1976.
An inquiry had found that the mine owners, at least 72 police. The standoff between the south african state, the multinational lonmin company, and striking miners at its marikana mine, opens up questions about. Unlike the sharpeville and soweto massacres, the killing of striking miners in marikana was carried out by a democratically elected government. On 10 august 2012, rock drillers initiated a wildcat strike in pursuit of a pay raise to 12,500 south african rand per month, a figure which amounted to tripling of their monthly salaries from approx. Marikana, lonmin, massacre, south africa, strike, violence, protest, unrest documentary on marikana massacre in 2012 during strike at lonmin mines. We are the poors, community struggles in postapartheid south africa. Aug 16, 2012 on 14 august lonmin officially halted production at the marikana platinum mine. Pdf marikana massacre and strike violence post aparthied. These map resources refer to external websites, and as such links are outside of the control of they may from time to time fail to work, some may also not be as accurate as we would wish. South africa commemorates marikana mine strike massacre youtube. Pdf this note reflects on the august 2012 miners strike at marikana, south africa in light of a century long history of violence associated with. The killings on the 16th august the marikana massacre were preceded by a number of other incidents of violence and confrontation over the period from friday 10th august onwards, relating to an unfolding conflict at the marikana mine. The shootings have been described as a massacre in the south african media and have been compared to the sharpeville massacre in 1960. Platinum is the main metal which is mined in the marikana mine first protests.
Police and miners occasionally entered into discussions however the miners remained steadfast in their strike action, and on 16 august a full frontal attack was launched on them. The marikana massacre started as a wildcat strike at a mine owned by lonmin in the marikana area, close to rustenburg, south africa in 2012. Marikana massacre 16 august 2012 south african history. Lonmin marikana mine, marikana, rustenburg rustenburg. No evidence strickers fired on police at scene 2 iss, canny maphanga, news24 15 august 2018. Farlam inquiry concludes marikana hills inspection 01 oct 2012 18. Marikana is the companys biggest south african mine. In 2012 a strike at the marikana mine in south africa ended in the killing of 34 miners. The disaster happened last year, on august 16, and also wounded over 75 people. South african police who gunned down 34 striking miners in the tragedy dubbed the marikana massacre had put in an advanced order for enough mortuary vans to.
Marikana west and rdp housing settlements are enclosed by farms, mining activity and informal settlements. Pdf the marikana massacre, the rule of law and south africas. Location maps lonmin marikana mine, marikana, rustenburg. These events were preceded by a wage dispute between worker unions and the lonmin management. Thirtyfour mineworkers were gunned down by police in what will go down in history as the marikana massacre. On 16 august 2012, south africa saw the most gruesome killing of workers postapartheid in marikana during the lonmin mineworkers illegal strike. The marikana massacre, in which 34 striking mineworkers were shot dead by police on 16 august 2012, was a tragic and historic event in south africa.
Investigations have revealed one man emerged who tried to lead the men to a peaceful solution. People also died, violently, before and after that date. What happened during the fatal miners strike in marikana in august 2012 did not end there. Mining is an important sector in the south african economy. The origins of a living wage demand and changing forms of worker struggles in lonmin platinum mine, south africa luke sinwell1 abstract on 16 august 2012, 34 mineworkers were gunned down by police during strike action in marikana, south africa, where lonmin, the third largest platinum mining company in the world, is located. The marikana massacre refers to the events of 11 to 16 august 2012 at the lonmin mine at marikana where 44 people lost their lives, more than 70 were injured, approximately 250 people were arrested and millions of rands of property damaged. Since the introduction of mining activities, the informal and formal population had a growth explosion. Summary and analysis of the report of the marikana. The marikana massacre of 10 august 2012 and the subsequent killing of 34 workers by police made headlines in the international media. Does marikana represent the nascent emergence of a new, powerful, independent union movement and, more broadly, a political movement that will realign. Mining in the aftermath of marikana business and human rights. Lonmin, the worlds third biggest platinum miner, had threatened to sack 3,000 rock drill operators if they failed to end a wildcat pay strike at its flagship marikana mine, where 96 per cent of. Anc, the mine owners and labour unions in trying to create a conducive working atmosphere in the mining sector.
Below are some media articles and press releases on the marikana massacre. Marikana massacre documentary subscribe to enca for latest news. In democratic south africa, the government allows citizens to express dissatisfaction through peaceful demonstrations. Beginning on august 10, thousands of workers engaged in a walkout, demanding higher wages. The marikana massacre ruptured the south african sociopolitical horizon in august 2012. Aug 17, 2015 south africa commemorates marikana mine strike massacre. On 14 august lonmin officially halted production at the marikana platinum mine.
The shooting to death by police of 34 miners engaged in strike action at lonmins marikana mine in. Dec 27, 2012 the august 2012 wildcat strike by workers at a lonmin mine in the marikana area in south africa resulted in a confrontation between miners and police leading to the killing of at least 47 miners. The marikana operations, acquired as part of the lonmin acquisition, consist of pgm mining and processing operations located on the western limb of the bushveld complex, 40 km east of the town of rustenburg, in the north west province of south africa and smelting and refining operations located in brakpan, east of johannesburg. Mr x blames amcu president for marikana massacre youtube. On monday, two north west crime scene experts led retired judge ian farlam and his team. The fact that 34 striking miners were killed at lonmins marikana mine in 2012 is a bad enough stain on this countrys history. The historic marikana massacre proved that some of the aforementioned stakeholders showed in one way or the other their handicaps in attempts to solve the mine workers problems in south africa. A historical overview of the labour unrest in the mining sector in south africa. Cops who authorised marikana killing should be prosecuted by new npa head, sakhile ndlozi, pretoria news 15 august 2018. A complex mining area consisting of 12 underground shafts, 100% owned by lonmin. By the time a deal was reached, the strike had become the longest and most costly in south african history. They did not properly transfer this asset to the marikana municipality.
This conflict was linked to an unprotected strike that a group of miners had embarked on and that had. On 16 august 2012 the south african police killed 34 striking platinum miners outside the small town of. May 14, 20 an unplanned strike at the lonmin mine in marikana has left everyone unsettled as reasons for the protest remain unclear. Summary and analysis of the report of the marikana commission. The event garnered international attention following a series of violent incidents between the south african police service, lonmin security and members of the national union of mineworkers num on the. Marikana, strike, recognition, state, workers political subjectivity. Pdf the marikana massacre ruptured the south african sociopolitical horizon in august 2012. The lonmin mine operating less than a kilometer from the marikana west rdp housing settlements donated the high mast light in 2008.
Documentary on marikana massacre in 2012 during strike at lonmin mines. Those miners who survived and were arrested say they were tortured and brutalised by the police. They from the onset were clear that the national union of mineworkers num. Marikana miners strike for better wages, 2012 global. It was also critical of the mining company, lonmin.
Insurgency and counterinsurgency in south africa january 2018 june 2019 rajendra chetty capitalism, labor. Another marikana possible, sibongile mashaba, the star 14 august 2018. August 2012 at the lonmin mine in marikana, south africa. Documentsseminar%20papersmorris%2020%20striking%20resemblance. Marikana is located near rustenburg, about 112km from johannesburg in south africa. The consequences of the marikana massacre one year later. Marikana the causes and wider implications and lessons. All the individuals bringing the are women who live in and complaint around the marikana mine and are directly affected by its impacts. Oct 24, 2014 finance minister nhlanhla nene cited labour market disruptions as a key reason for the revision.
This analysis aims to expose or make visible the scopic regimes at work when interpreting the event. The complaint is brought by the individual community members listed in annexure a, and by the local community governmental organisationnon, sikhala sonke. Marikana massacre 16 august 2012 south african history online. I am absolutely sure that is why they strike, its not a political issue, its financial, he said. The case of lonmins and the ifcs mismanagement of the marikana mine. It all started when workers at the lonmin platinum mine undertook unprotected strike action. Pdf the marikana massacre, the rule of law and south africa. South africa remembers marikana miners killed by police. As one former committee member at lonmin platinum mine put it, this strike. Violence between competing unions at south africas mines is threatening to weaken africas largest economy. Marikana, formerly known as rooikoppies, is a town in rustenburg local municipality, bojanala platinum district municipality district in the north west province of south africa. Marikana massacre reports centre for civil society.
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