And so the Lonmin saga ends…finally.
So to summarise, the miners got a 22% increase, and although not hitting the R12 500 mark as was protested for, they came, in my opinion, close enough to be frustrating.
Frustrating because the implications, beside the financial implications to the business, of mentioned strike action, has wide spread consequences.
Firstly, the strike was illegal, and never should have been allowed to continue from day one, yet for some reason we allowed it.
Secondly, the use of machetes, pangas, and spears is not only illegal, but premeditation to incite violence, yet we did nothing.
Thirdly, they slaughtered 11 people, including police officers and other mining colleagues…yet we made no arrests.
Let us briefly discuss each contentious point here.
I was under the impression that apart from wage negotiations, the various unions and representatives were supposed to make arrangements for strike action.
They are supposed to collectively represent the will of its members, see to their safety and bargain on their behalf during said strike action.
Unions did nothing but scuffle with each other.
So by allowing this illegal strike, the government has by omission, opened a door to allowing such illegal strikes in the future by anybody.
Not only allowing, but by result, show the effectiveness thereof.
The strikers carried weapons and sang songs of war, and had already killed police and colleagues before they decided to charge police, and they plainly got their arses handed to them.
Rightly so, most people on this forum will agree that on that day, the police took control. They drew a line in the sand and said “we are in control.”
But then the politicians jumped on it like a fat kid on a cupcake, blamed the police, laid murder charges against them…and successfully tied the hands of the police.
So what was the outcome? A pay raise…yes, we reward the killing, incitement to violence, illegal strike action, with a pay raise bigger than 99% of you will ever see! 22%!!
Not only that, but we give them a once off R2000 bonus, and a bonus to come back to work. Its like Christmas, its raining money.
So who has won? Politicians say “democracy won”, and “communication won”…etc
Educated say “the economy lost, the company lost, and bad behaviour was rewarded…”
I say this…I was never brought up to believe that bad behaviour got me anywhere, except punishment. I was taught that every action has a reaction.
I was taught the difference between wrong and right, and that living a clean, honest and righteous life would reward me with happiness.
I was brought up to believe that hard work, determination, and discipline would lead to my success, and that money isn’t a right.
Now all the trolls out there that will come back with your “Viva Malema’s”, “capitalist pig”, “its apartheid”…bla bla bla…I ask of you to think of the following…
Somewhere out there, right now, this very second, are men responsible for the ruthless and cold blooded slaughter of 10 men.
An argument could be made that it was all that killed them, but I return with only one hand dealt the final blow, and he is out there right now.
He took a panga or machete, and butchered another living, breathing person to death.
…..and he could be living next door to you…or standing in line at the shop…next to your daughter or wife.
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