Marikana, Rustenburg - Several organisations called on Tuesday for an end to violence in Marikana, North West, where police shot dead 34 striking miners nearly a year ago.
The appeal came after the murder of a National Union of Mineworkers' shop steward on Monday. Nobongile Nora Madolo, 44, was shot dead in a residential area in Wonderkop, near Lonmin's Marikana mine.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the SA Communist Party said it was time for violence in Marikana to stop. They encouraged workers to honour the memories of those who died during last year's shooting.
The 34 mineworkers were killed on August 16 when police tried to disperse them from a hill where they had gathered. Ten people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed in the preceding week.
The UDM said it was sad that at least 20 people linked to the events at Lonmin's Marikana mine had died since last year's violence.
“It must be said that there can be no winners with both sides losing key leaders to violence and further retaliation should not be condoned nor will it bring loved leaders back,” secretary general Bongani Msomi said.
He urged unions and leaders to stop encouraging their supporters with belligerent speeches to fight for supremacy, but rather talk about peaceful solutions.
Nehawu spokesman Sizwe Pamla expressed disappointment that a year after the Marikana tragedy, workers were still being killed. The union accused mining companies of failing the people and workers at Marikana.
“The mining bosses are not innocent in this whole sad episode of poor workers killing each other, because they instigate the animosity amongst the workers and sponsor the warlords through their actions,” he claimed.
Cosatu's North West secretary Solly Phetoe called on workers to stop killing each other.
“Focus on fighting against capital, and not allow capital to make them fight among themselves.”
The trade union federation was disappointed that 12 months after the violence that broke out in Marikana, no one had been arrested for a number of killings.
The SACP condemned the latest murder, and sent condolences to Madolo's family.
“The SACP is taken aback by this barbaric act, committed during the month in which all South Africans are celebrating women's month,” the party said in a statement.
It urged people to help fight crime.
Sapa