Marikana violence exposed flaws - Zuma
2012-12-16 14:28
Bloemfontein - The violence in Marikana exposed the country's flaws and inconsistencies, ANC president Jacob Zuma said on Sunday.
"At a political level, the Marikana tragedy exposed the organisational challenges we face both at the workplace and in the community," he said at the ANC's national conference in Mangaung.
"We need to avoid the danger of distance between leaders and members, both at the workplace and in the communities."
Opening the conference, Zuma said the Marikana shooting exposed the "deep-rooted culture" of violence and intimidation that still existed in society, and was a "springboard" for further strikes in the mining sector.
On 16 August, 34 miners were shot dead during a protest near the Lonmin mine in Marikana, North West.
The ANC met chief executives from mining companies to look at the living conditions of mine workers.
"These labour strikes were illegal, violent and appeared designed to undermine collective bargaining in general and the National Union of Mineworkers in particular," said Zuma.
"We should engage our people more, even on the question of unacceptable violence that accompanies some of the strikes."
- SAPA
