Saturday, September 29, 2012

Didhard Mparo explains the mineworkers issues

This is another item on the Mineworkers in South Africa.  Click here for the repost of the Miners Demands.



Mineworkers Declaration, issued on the 22nd September 2012 at the 1st Conference- Forward to Socialist Action, Windhoek

The Namibian working class, especially us mineworkers, have been following the events at Marikana over the past few weeks, with undivided attention.

We noted the workers’ struggle for better wages and conditions; the arrogant rejection of their demands by the mine bosses; the treacherous reluctance of the trade union leaders to really fight for the workers; the severe brutality of the police (SAP) against the workers; the silence od the socalled democratically elected government; the false labelling and attempts to criminalise the striking workers; the terrible hardship and poverty of the producers of the wealth of South Africa (namely, the workers) and the stinking riches of the parasites, the mine bosses, who live from the labour of the workers.

Further, we also take note of our own trade union leaders who have up to now, not uttered even a single word about the Marikana massacre; the absence of the trade union (leaders) from the protest at the SA embassy which was held in solidarity with the Marikana workers on the 23rd August 2012.

Further, we want to express our admiration of the Marikana workers who, despite the death of their comrades, the intimidation of the police and the state, persevered and continued with the strike and today have achieved a victory over the parasites, the mine bosses.
Therefore, we declare in Windhoek today, at this historic first Socialist conference, that we as the Namibian mineworkers will embark on a determined fight to strengthen the links between all mineworkers across Southern Africa. We declare here in Windhoek today that ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’.

We declare here in Windhoek today, the 22nd Sept 2012, at this first Socialist Conference, organised by the Marxist Study Group, that the demands of the Marikana mineworkers are now no longer only that of the workers in Marikana, but they have become the demands of each and every mineworker across Southern Africa.

Didhard Mparo
For workers at Weatherly Copper Smelter, Ojihase and Matchless mines, Namibia






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Deklarasie van mynwerkers, uitgereik te Windhoek op die 22September 2012, by die 1ste Konferensie, - Voorts met Sosialism-, die volgende.
Die werkersklas van Namibië , veral ons die mynwerkers, het die afgelope paar weke met ʼn onverdeelde aandag die gebeure wat op Marikana plaasgevind het , gevolg.
Ons het kennis geneem van die werkers se stryd om beter lone en werksomstangighede; die arrogante verwerping van hul eise deur die mynbase; die verraadelike huiwering van die vakbondleiers om daadwerklik vir die werkers te veg; die brutale geweld van die SAP teen die werkers; die stilswye van die “demokratiese verkose regering “; die naamskending en poging om die stakende werkers te kriminiseer; die naakte ellende en armoede van die produseerders van die rykdom van Suid-Afrika (die werkers) en die stinkende weelde van die parasiete van die arbeid van die werkers, die myn base.
Voorts, het ons ook kennis geneem van ons eie vakbondleiers wat tot op hede nog nie n word gerep het oor die Marikana geweld; die afwesigheid van die vakbonde by die solidariteit-demonstrasie by die Suid Afrikaanse ambassade in solidariteit met die Marikana werkers op 23 Augustus 2012.
Voorts, wil ons hiermee ons bewondering uitspreek teenoor die Marikana werkers wat ten spyte van die dood van hul kamarade, die intimidasie van die polisie en staat deurgedruk het met die staking en vandag met n oorwinning spog teen die parasitiese mynbase.
Derhalwe, verklaar ons vandag hier in Windhoek by hierdie historiese eerste Sosialistiese konferensie dat ons as namibiese mynwerkers onverpoosd sal veg vir die versterking van bande van mynwerkers regoor die suider afrikaanse sub-kontinent. Ons verklaar vandag hier in Windoek dat “n injury to one is an injury to all”.
Ons verklaar hier in Windhoek, op 22 September 2012, by hierdie eerste Sosialistiese Konferensie gereel deur die Marxistiese Studie Groep, dat die eise van die Marikana werkers nie net die eise van die Marikana werkers is nie maar het nou die eise geword van ieder en elke mynwerker regoor die suider afrikaanse subkomtinent.
Voorts met Werkers Solidariteit!!
Didhard Mparo
Verteenwoordiger van 3 myne se werkers