The Socialist Party of Azania argue that when apartheid ended South African bosses “won” the unimpeded right to exploit the working class and to strike-break, locking-out workers as a matter of course when they have a dispute. That settlement, CODESA [Convention for a Democratic South Africa], is in large part to blame for the tragedy at Marikina they say. To help our understanding of the events we reprint an extract from their statement on the massacre.
The Marikina massacre is the direct outcome of CODESA, where workers are first expelled from the premises of the mines where they are employed and further forcefully removed from wherever they choose to assemble. Any resistance is thereafter met with absolute brute force and sometimes by deadly force like it is in the case in Marikina. Protection of property is always placed way above any interests including human life.
Marikina has poignantly raised two issues: one is the ”Lock-Out clause” itself, but the other is the issue of the independence of the labour movement, which ought to be free from both the bosses and the government.
In this particular case this involves the historical union which is a friend of the government [NUM] and in past instances has shown itself to be sympathetic to the bosses and has a result lost considerable confidence of the workers. Rather than seeking its soul and breaking from the subordinating interests that are holding it in a deathly embrace, it has found solace in the bosom of its class enemies.
It is therefore not surprising that it is accused by the workers that rather than stand by their democratic demands, the union finds itself settling for far less than what workers expected.
We as the Socialist Party of Azania do not advocate divisions in the labour movement, we however believe that their interests will be better served by a united labour movement. The way to unity is through independence from the bosses and government. Every time the labour movement is subordinated, it always works to its own detriment.
Today, the platinum mines have become what gold mines were to the economy of our country. South Africa is the leading platinum producer in the world, and platinum brings unbelievable wealth to their white owners and token blacks.
Despite this great wealth they continue to exploit workers who to date have not made any unreasonable demands. However, the mine bosses continue to pay them less than a living wage. Their demand for R12 500-00 a month is reasonable and will not leave a hole in the pocket of the bosses.
For the demand of R12 500-00 a month , they have had to pay with lives. Even the extremely repressive apartheid regime would have thought twice about such prospects.
The very fact of being locked out is provocative, and it gets worse when there are those who remain buddy-buddy with the bosses who have locked you out. It is those who, for political and dubious economic interests, are very often willing to lay prostrate on the ground to allow the bosses to have their way with them. We reject any intention that wants to put blame on the workers who have legitimate right to fight and defend for their interests. Had the mine bosses heeded the demands of the workers, had the government and its law enforcement institutions listened, the massacre could have been avoided — but then in a capitalist state such as ours profit is everything and there is no sanctity for human life.
We believe this crisis represents in its full extent how imperialism and its interests continue to place enormous burdens on the lives of workers and the black majority. We once more appeal to the labour movement to take its full responsibility to defend and advance the full interests of the working class .
17 August 2012
• Full statement here
