“as we correctly call Zuma to account (he is the president), and we correctly recall that it was the deputy president of the country and anc who called for action against the striking mine workers. we must remember the face of the whiteman who wrote a 600 pages thick document to try hide a massacre and shield white capital and its agents like Ramaphosa. I ask you to remember the role played by Judge Farlam in this second 600 pages massacre, killing the murdered again. I ask you to imagine Farlam and his assistants with large brushes working the Marikana Koppie whitewashing the blood of our brothers who were murdered for demanding a living wage. we must condemn not just the politicians but also those who labour to make a lie look like the truth. in my view judge Farlam is as violent as the police who took orders to shoot. he is as guilty as Cyril and co if not more.” Andile Mngxitama Face-Book update, 26 June 2015.

It must be stated that the September National Imbizo (SNI) has right from the beginning rejected both the Presidential Commission of Inquiry and the civil society call for its own Commission of Inquiry. As a sharp retort to the BLOODY report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry SNI maintains its position and to this end re-issues its statement dated 24 August 2012:

“MARIKANA MASSACRE: SNI Rejects Both The Presidential Commission Of Inquiry And The Civil Society Call For Its Own Commission Of Inquiry And Declares September 2012 The Month Of A Living Wage!

We all saw it with our naked eyes. The police opened fire on black people who have been demanding what is fair, just and reasonable: a living wage. Their’s is a legitimate protest against the shocking injustices they have suffered under Lonmin. Two days before the Marikana Massacre the media reported that a pattern of non violence had developed. Workers would emerge in the morning to occupy the mountain and wait for management to come speak to them as promised, and every evening they descended the mountain to travel back home.

We saw it with our eyes. The police opened fired and killed over 30 workers! We have heard how the miners were ambushed; how they were crushed by inyalas; how they had water bombs thrown at them from police helicopters and how the disorientated miners were rounded up and arrested. What more does government and civil society want?

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt2016_2qhM&w=560&h=315] What does Jacob Zuma not know already?

If the ANC, which sent the police to kill blacks does not know what happened, we will tell them. If civil society is also not sure, we will explain to them. If anyone is still lost as to what happened in Marikana, we shall assist with an explanation. What happened is simply this:

Workers who have been treated like slaves, who risked their lives every day to enrich Lonmin and ANC leaders, had had enough. They wanted justice and the dignity that comes with a living wage. They made their demands known to all. No one can say they didn’t know the workers’ demands. Lonmin decided to hide behind government, instead of heeding the reasonable demands of the people. Lonmin hid behind labour laws that are approved by Cosatu and NUM, the very labour laws that legalise wage slavery.

According to SA’s labour law it is acceptable to pay a mine worker a monthly salary of R4000! It is acceptable to pay a farm worker R1500 per month! It’s acceptable to exploit and oppress black workers. These laws are made by the ANC alliance which includes the South African Communist Party and Cosatu! They all support wage slavery and then turn around and pretend to fight against it. If the ANC wants to end black suffering, why do they not use their political power to do so?

We also saw that Lonmin management used NUM to divide workers. We saw government come and side with NUM and management against workers. We saw that instead of engaging workers, government brought in a well armed police force and army. They surrounded the workers, shot them from all sides and water bombed them from above with a toxic substance that immobilized them! After the shooting 34 workers were killed by the police under the control of the ANC and instructed by Lonmin.

The September National Imbizo asks, what exactly is it that needs to be probed? What is it that the ANC does not know?

The SNI rejects both the presidential commission of inquiry and the civil society call for its own commission. We recall that after each massacre the apartheid regime instituted a Commission of Inquiry , the function of which was to hide the truth, to police the righteous anger of the people and to break the momentum of revolutionary demands of the people. We say government must pay reparations to the families for their pain, suffering and loss of income. This must be done immediately!

Also the mines must be nationalised and placed under worker control and the dependents of the murdered should get shares in those mines as a priority. Lonmin belongs to the murdered workers! Furthermore, the SNI says: Let all workers, in every sector, get a minimum wage of R12 500. It’s a reasonable demand!

To mourn the murdered workers with dignity and respect, let the workers in all mines embark upon mass strikes for the next month to demand their fair share! It’s a living wage the workers of Marikana were prepared to die for.

It is only a living wage which can bring justice; not commissions of inquiry. We all know what happened. Let’s not pretend otherwise. Out of respect for the memory of the Marikana warriors, let there be justice for workers. Cosatu is part of the problem, so is NUM and the ANC which killed black people to defend white capital.

Let our mourning include building resistance. Let us make September the month of action for a living wage. Let all the mines go on strike. They need us more than we need them!

Viva R12 500!

Issued By September National Imbizo

24 August 2012″

We Are The One’s We Have Been Waiting For

SNI

26 June 2015