Show of support to back miners’ law suit
RICHARD Sqhamo Hoyi toiled for 27 years in the mines until he contracted silicosis.
Today, he finds it difficult to walk long distances as a result of the terminal disease.
The 57-year-old Hoyi, from Peddie in the Eastern Cape, was among the silicosisstricken mineworkers who joined the march against the mining companies yesterday.
The march was led by Section27, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and Sonke Gender Justice.
The three organisations demonstrated in support of the mineworkers’ case currently unfolding in the high court in Joburg.
Hoyi spoke of his plight through an interpreter. Normally, silicosis makes it difficult for him to walk long distances. But luckily, yesterday’s march moved slowly enough so that he was able to keep up.
He said if they won the case, he would feel free from the burden of the disease because silicosis made it difficult for him to look after his children, and it was his biggest worry. He has daughters aged 21, 16 and 12.
Bongani Radebe, a demonstrator with the TAC, said: “If the man is affected, the wife is affected and the children are affected.”
At least 400 people – their T-shirts’ colours representing three different organisations – united by donning white mining helmets and marching together in support of the mineworkers. This was as the class certification hearing by their legal team entered its second day.
The march began in Newtown and stopped twice in Marshall Street, once at the offices of Anglo American, a mining company involved in the case, and once at the Chamber of Mines, before arriving at the high court.
“The mining companies are profiting with the lives of our people,” said Sibongile Tshabalala, the TAC’s Gauteng chairwoman, as she bellowed into a microphone from the back of a flatbed truck.
“It has to stop now. They have to take care of the miners while they’re making profits off them.”
Many held signs with messages condemning the mining companies. The signs read “Dear goldmines, apartheid is over” and “Exploited. Damaged. Discarded. #silicosis.”
As they passed the Anglo American offices, the marchers formed into rows and held hands.
“You killed our miners,” one man yelled before the group erupted in song.
“Senzeni na (What have we done?),” they sang.
Mark Heywood, the director of Section27, said his organisation supported the miners because it stood for the right to health and helping the poor get access to justice. FOUR EFF members from North West serving lengthy jail terms for the murder of ANC regional secretary David Chika are to remain behind bars pending their appeal against conviction.
Former EFF chief whip Papiki Babuile, ward councillor Itumeleng Molebatsi, EFF field worker William Malefo and Bennet Kadi, a taxi
“This country is built on gold, but the people who dug the gold are dying from it.
“Silicosis and tuberculosis are among the biggest health crises in the country.”
Heywood said most of the mineworkers lived in rural areas where getting the treatment they need was difficult.
The three organisations were due to continue presenting arguments today. The miners’ lawyers are scheduled to take over tomorrow. owner, turned to the high court in Pretoria for an order to be released on bail pending their appeal to a full Bench (three judges) of this court.
The four claim they are innocent and believe they would be freed once their appeal was heard.
Babuile was earlier sentenced to an effective 15-year jail term and Molebatsi to 18 years, while Malefo and Kadi each received a life term.
This was for their part in the killing of Chika, an ANC regional leader, who was shot dead at his Klerksdorp home two days before the ANC elective conference began in Mangaung in 2012.
The four were heavily guarded in court. Their application was rejected.