The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) says working conditions of mineworkers have not transformed since the Marikana massacre in 2012 where mineworkers were shot and killed.
The workers embarked on a violent strike to demand a R12 500 wage per month, when police shot and killed 34 of their colleagues at the Wonderkop Koppie outside Rustenburg in North West.
“Mining communities remain very poor and yet they have precious commodities around them. We continue to demand that prior to DMR issuing mining license they must make it a requirement that these companies built schools, hospitals, universities in the community before issuing license. So, it must be part of their license,” says Amcu President, Joseph Mathunjwa.
The legal representative of Marikana families, Dali Mpofu, says the injured mineworkers who received their payments, want to set aside about R1 million to challenge government and Lonmin mine for compensation.
Mpofu says government has been arrogant on this issue.
“Government accepted liability of their wrongdoing in 2016. already. It’s now five years later … it still has to compensat the people. People are dying. So, even when that compensation comes, it might be meaningless to some of the people. Even at this late hour, we are calling on government, particular Mr Ramaphosa, to say it will be better, it’s never too late to do the right thing. It would be better if you apologise and do whatever you promised to do now rather than do it because a court has forced you to apologise.”
