NUM responsible for miners deaths

THE National Union of Mineworkers (Num) exposed itself this week as an irresponsible union that

“” neglected its members before and after the slaying of 34 people during the wage strike by rock-drillers at Lonmin s Marika mine in

’ Rustenburg in August last year.

Had the union agreed with the workers to negotiate outside the bargaining process earlier, their lives could have been saved, chief Lonmin negotiator Eric Gcilitshana told the commission of inquiry into the murders on Friday. It was an unreasonable atti“tude, he said of the union per

” suading its members to go back to work and negotiate their R12 500 wage demand through formal structures.

This realisation was made when people s lives were lost ”. “’

Gcilitshana agreed with counsel for the police Tebogo Mathibedi that the violence that left 10 people dead including two police

– officers should have prompted

– the union to act with urgency.

This admission raised eyebrows and triggered murmurs from the public gallery.

There was the same reaction earlier in the week when Gcilitshana said he didn t do anything

’ after he heard about the shooting on radio.

Gcilitshana on Friday tried to explain why the union did not undertake the sensible exercise

“” of helping members who had been hospitalised or arrested.

His reasoning when quizzed by advocate Dali Mpofu, representing the injured and arrested, was that striking members had said they wanted nothing to do with the union as they believed the union was colluding with their employer. Gcilitshana s explanation did

’ not sit well with commission head Ian Farlam, who appeared surprised that Gcilitshana had suggested that members should have reported to Num offices for help while in hospital or in custody.

The union is reputed to have rapidly lost members to its rival, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).

This is believed to have been one of the triggers for the violent strike that saw 10 people killed on August 10 last year six days

– before the police shooting.

The tables were also turned on Lonmin when Gcilitshana told the commission that the company s

’ hardline stance of refusing to speak to workers unless they are disarmed was a log jam to end

“” the strike. This was much to Mpofu s

’ pleasure as he had initially pointed a finger at both Lonmin and the South African Police Service.

A day before that deadly clampdown, a meeting had been held to discuss the disarming of workers at the mountain close to Lonmin s offices.

’ Gcilitshana agreed when Mathibedi, defending the police, indicated that the killing of people by the striking workers constituted criminal acts that should not be tolerated and that there was nothing wrong with the police vowing to take any measures necessary to disarm the strikers.

ANC deputy-president Cyril Ramaphosa, in an e-mail to Lonmin before the deadly shootings, had called for concomitant action to

“” be taken against the miners.

Ramaphosa, who was on the Lonmin board, resigned this week, citing among other reasons his new post as ANC deputy president. This happens ahead of his testimony to the commission.