Tag: AMCU

BLF rejects Ramaphosa’s attempt to crush AMCU

Posted on by Black First Land First

Black First Land First (BLF) rejects Ramaphosa’s attempt to crush the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).

Post the coup to remove President Zuma, Ramaphosa has continuously used state institutions to fight all his political enemies, in service of white monopoly capital. This will forever be evident in Marikana, when he commanded the South African Police Services (SAPS) to use “concomitant action” when responding to a legitimate workers protest in 2012, resulting in a bloody massacre of our people.

AMCU and it’s President, Joseph Mathunjwa, stood on the side of the workers and against the racist colonial mining company, Lonmin, where Ramaphosa enjoyed shareholding. Ramaphosa has now teamed up with Gwede Mantashe, who is known for his hatred of Mathunjwa, to fight AMCU!

BLF stands with AMCU and all the workers. We demand that Ramaphosa and Mantashe desist from using the state to aid white monopoly capital in destroying AMCU, who have regularly humbled the white establishment by galvanizing the workers through mass action and protests. BLF will write to the labour relations registrar, Lehlohonolo Mole, to defend the right of workers to organise in their defense against white monopoly capital and its agents in government.

#HandsOffAMCU

Issued by Black First Land First, National Coordinating Committee (BLF NCC)

25 April 2019

Black First Land First Email: [email protected]

Zanele Lwana
(Deputy President)
Cell: +27 79 986 7225

Lindsay Maasdorp
(National Spokesperson)
Cell: +27 79 915 2957

Brian Tloubatla
(Head of Media & Communications)
Cell: +27 82 216 7664

AMCU is right – Malema & Ramaphosa must stop using Marikana

Posted on by Black First Land First
AMCU is right – Malema & Ramaphosa must stop using Marikana

Black First Land First (BLF) agrees with the President of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), Comrade Union president Joseph Mathunjwa, that both Cyril Ramaphosa and Julius Malema must stop abusing the Marikana massacre for their narrow interests. It is clear that the two old friends are now using the massacre, engineered by Cyril Ramaphosa, to rekindle their political romance.

There is a drive to whitewash the Marikana massacre and to unjustifiably absolve Cyril Ramaphosa of guilt. This means that there will be no real justice. He will get away without fully accounting for the mass killings of workers for profits and escaping the appropriate penalty for his sins, including the payment of reparations. We have seen how Malema has changed his tune on Ramaphosa. He has moved from calling him the ‘murderer of Marikana’ to declaring him as the ‘president who must be respected’.

Mathunjwa is correct when he says:

“The EFF and the ANC have no organisational rights in that mine, therefore, it is very wrong to suggest that the EFF is the gatekeeper for the State President to meet the widows. Those widows are organised, and they are under the banner of AMCU. We are the only trade union there”.

BLF is encouraged by the principled stance of AMCU. We have to always remember that Ramaphosa called for the “concomitant action” against the workers in service of the interests of Lonmin, which is a London based mining house. We must also not forget that Julius Malema has powerful handlers in London – Lord Robin Renwick, amongst others. So the bromance between Mokone and Matamela is a London project signed on the blood of the Marikana workers.

BLF calls for full disclosure of the truth from Ramaphosa on how Lonmin has used him against black workers. Furthermore, we encourage Ramaphosa to approach the legitimate organizations representing the workers and their families to ask for forgiveness as well as pay reparations for the brutal murder of their loved ones for profit.

Issued by Black First Land First, National Coordinating Committee (BLF NCC)
19 April 2018

Black First Land First Email:[email protected]
Facebook: Black First Land First
Twitter: @black1stland1st
Website: www.blf.org.za

Zanele Lwana
(Deputy President)
Cell: +27799867225

Lindsay Maasdorp
(National Spokesperson)
Cell: +27 79 915 2957

Brian Tloubatla
(Head of Media & Communications)
Cell: +27 82 216 7664