Dear Marikana Miners
I want to take this opportunity, to write an open letter about the issues that our country has faced with since the beginning of your R12500 revolution.I must admit when I first heard that you earn that R4000 I was at pain, as a member of a union at my work place I remembered the lunch time picketing fighting the employer who refused give workers their hard earned bonuses.
The past weeks South Africa has seen a lot of individuals from various forms of sectors of the society and internationally expressing interest on your issues. This indicated that we live in a caring society, were people pledge solidarity with the issues and problems you encountered and this happened before and after the death of 35 of your colleagues.
What made me and other South Africans sad was when they saw footage on how the police massacred workers in that manner? And the question we asked ourselves was that can this happen in the new democratic South Africa?
May their souls rest in Peace. I know that all South Africans and the international community will wait with bated breath on the outcomes of the commission of enquiry we just trust the ability of the commission not to leave any stone unturned so that we can see who must blame for the massacre
The main issue that has led to me to write the article is simply to say its high time you evaluate the second phase on your revolution, which will simply be going back to work.
We leave in a progressive country with laws and lot institutions that have been established to safe guard our hard earned democracy, the responsibility that rest in our shoulders is to defend it by all means , we should allow ourselves to be by-Standers when our people get abused in any environment, we need to see those institutions doing their work.
Throughout your revolution we have seen a number of your marchers carrying dangerous weapons like Pangas, axes and knobkerries and that has led to the loss of life for those we are told they have a different views with you. And one simply say those weapons will not help the situation, it will make matter more worse, in fact you will even loose public sympathy.
We know very well that those that perpetuate the whole notion of people not going to work , do not feel the pain when there is no money to take back home , it’s important that at this phase an honest form assessment needs to be done on how the struggle you have waged can be taken forward.
Throughout the your revolution I have seen a number of opportunist who have been trying to use your genuine battles to try and score cheap political points , it’s unfair because this guy’s comes to your meeting with very expensive German cars with body guards and try sway yourselves ordinary workers .
South Africans know very well that theirs is not about your plight they are self-serving individuals who are hell bent in destroying the gains that have been scored in the last 18years of our democracy because some of them have been expelled in their own organisation
Thabiso Teffo @Thabisoteffo
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
