The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) says its mega rally in Marikana in the North West on Sunday will be a turning point for the union since the August 2012 massacre.
The union says while 34 mineworkers who were killed on August 16th have been recognised, little has been said about the ten others that died days leading to the massacre.
NUM has battled to regain dominance as the majority union in the platinum sector, with a membership of just over 50 000 from the 170 000 it had before 2012.
Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) North West Secretary Kopano Konopi says they are co-organising the rally with NUM.
“The main purpose of the rally is to rebuild the National Union of Mineworkers, which is among the biggest affiliates. In actual fact, NUM is the biggest industrial affiliate in Cosatu. So, we want to rebuild NUM in the Rustenburg and the Platinum region. Prior to the 2012 developments, NUM used to boast more than 170 000 members in the platinum belt… so we want to bring NUM back to its glory days in the platinum belt,” says Konopi.
Although seven years have passed since the protracted labour unrest, tensions remain in the area.
NUM members are still complaining about intimidation; alleging that their fellow union members are being killed.
Meanwhile, police have appealed for peace and tolerance during the rally.
