Marikana: Rock drillers' dignity impaired
2013-01-30 12:30
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Marikana
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Rustenburg - The working conditions under which rock drillers operate impair
their dignity, a National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) member agreed on Wednesday
at the Farlam commission of inquiry in Rustenburg.
The statement was put to Saziso Gegeleza by lawyer Dali Mpofu, representing
those injured and arrested during violent strikes at Lonmin's Marikana mine
last year.
Gegeleza agreed that rock drillers, generally, were underpaid and worked
under difficult conditions.
"I agree that all people employed by the mine work under difficult
circumstances, not just the machine operators," he said.
Asked by Mpofu whether rock drill operators were still called machine boys,
as they were during apartheid, Gegeleza replied: "It [the term] is still
being used, yes."
Mpofu then turned his attention to Gegeleza's testimony on Tuesday about the
events of 11 August, when striking workers tried to attack the NUM's office at
the platinum mine, in the North West.
Weapons handed out
Gegeleza said NUM shop stewards had confiscated weapons from striking
miners. NUM western platinum branch secretary Daluvuyo Bongo later handed
weapons to people in the office on learning that a group of strikers was
heading towards the office to burn it down.
"I was given a knobkerrie and a spear," Gegeleza said.
He said the group of strikers threw stones and shouted: "Here are these
dogs".
"They were so aggressive and they came towards the office
running."
Gegeleza said the group had sticks, knobkerries, pangas and spears.
"I had fear. I was afraid, but I wanted to protect my life as well as
the offices of the NUM."
He said that as the two groups were about to meet, gunshots were fired and
the strikers retreated.
Mpofu asked how the group of about 20 people from the office had believed
that, armed only with a few sticks, spears and a panga, they could defend
themselves against such a large group.
"I have never been taught that winning depends on numbers,"
Gegeleza said.
- SAPA
