NUM killings shock SACP

A miner leads his fellow workers as they chant slogans during the one-year anniversary commemorations to mark the killings of 34 striking platinum miners shot dead by police outside the Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine in Rustenburg.

A miner leads his fellow workers as they chant slogans during the one-year anniversary commemorations to mark the killings of 34 striking platinum miners shot dead by police outside the Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine in Rustenburg.

Published Oct 21, 2013

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Rustenburg - The SA Communist Party on Monday expressed shock at the killing of NUM members in Rustenburg, North West.

“NUM leaders, members and workers supporting the union are being systematically targeted, brutalised and killed, sometimes for wearing red T-shirts,” spokesman Alex Mashilo said in a statement.

He said the murders were part of attempts to “liquidate” the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

A man was shot eight times and killed at the Marikana hill, near Lonmin's platinum mine, on Thursday.

North West police spokesman Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said he was shot once while driving. When he got out of his car another seven bullets were fired at him. He died on the scene.

There have been several murders of union officials in the area recently, apparently linked to rivalry between the NUM and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union.

NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said the victim was the union's branch chairman at Lonmin's Western Platinum mine near Rustenburg.

The SACP condemned the killing and sent its condolences to the man's family.

Sapa

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