Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Call for help for mine strikers
A GROUP of religious and academic leaders have called on South Africans to donate food and money to communities affected by the strike in the country’s platinum mining region.
The group – which includes Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba and vice-chancellor of Wits University Professor Adam Habib – said a “humanitarian tragedy” was unfolding. In a statement released yesterday, they appealed to South Africans for help, saying donations were needed to prevent starvation.
The statement was endorsed by, among others, the Bishop of the Anglican diocese of Pretoria, Dr Johannes Seoka, and the vice-chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, Professor Ihron Rensburg.
“While supporting attempts to reach a settlement to the dispute, the reality on the ground is that children, women and men don’t have food, and hardship will persist after the strike is settled,” it said.
The strike started on January 23 when members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) downed tools at Lonmin, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum.
They are demanding a basic salary of R12 500 a month.
“We cannot allow a situation in which people are starving. No society can tolerate such inhumanity in its midst. It is especially unacceptable 20 years into our democracy,” reads the statement.
According to a website created by the affected companies, Amcu employees have lost R8.5 billion in earnings and the companies have lost out on R19.2bn in revenue.
● Food parcels may be dropped off at St George’s Cathedral and the Anglican Church Warehouse at 12 Plantation Road, Wetton; at the Alternative Information and Development Centre, 129 Rochester Road, Observatory; at any SkyNet courier branch or at the Gift of the Givers, who can be contacted toll-free on 0800 786911. ● Visit www.giftofthegivers.org
jan.cronje@inl.co.za