Wednesday, 22 May 2013
VIDEO: South African Policemen Massacre Lonmin Mine Workers
South African Police Open Fire On Striking Lonmin Miners, Several Dead-REUTERS
By John Mkhize
MARIKANA, South Africa
(Reuters) - South African police opened fire on striking miners armed with machetes and sticks at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine on Thursday, killing at least a dozen men in scenes that evoked comparisons with apartheid-era brutality.
In the incident, filmed by Reuters television, officers opened up with automatic weapons on a group of men who emerged from behind a vehicle and started loping towards police lines.
The volley of bullets threw up clouds of dust, which cleared to reveal bodies lying on the ground.
President Jacob Zuma said he was "shocked and dismayed" at what appeared to be one of the bloodiest police operations since the end of white-minority rule in 1994 in Africa's biggest economy.
"I have instructed law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to bring the situation under control and to bring the perpetrators of violence to book," he said in a statement.
Police have refused to confirm the death toll from the operation to disperse 3,000 protesting drill operators who had massed on a rocky outcrop near the mine, 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.
"The police, in order to protect their own lives and in self-defence, were forced to engage the group with force," they said in a statement. "This resulted in several individuals being fatally wounded, and others injured."
The police ministry said that the officers acted as they did only after first trying to peacefully disperse the crowd.
"The minister is of the view that given the volatility of the situation, police did their best," the minister's spokesman Zweli Mnisi said in a text message. "What should police do in such situations when clearly what they are faced with are armed and hardcore criminals who murder police?"
A Reuters photo showed a dozen corpses lying on a patch of sandy ground, while a spokeswoman from the opposition Democratic Alliance said the overall toll could be as high as 38. The SAPA news agency said one of its reporters had counted 18 bodies.
World platinum prices leapt as much as $30 an ounce - more than 2 percent - to a six-day high as the extent of the violence became apparent in the country with 80 percent of known reserves.
Leaders of the radical Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which was representing most of the strikers, accused police of a massacre.
"There was no need whatsoever for these people to be killed like that," General Secretary Jeffrey Mphahlele told Reuters.
Some commentators likened the scenes to apartheid-era footage of ranks of police opening fire on crowds of protesters in black townships.
"I cannot think of a confrontation between protesters and police since 1994 that has taken place along these lines," said Nic Borain, an independent political analyst.
"PREPARED TO DIE"
Before the start of the operation by hundreds of police, officials said several days of talks with AMCU leaders had broken down, leaving no option but to use force to break the crowd, which had triggered the closure of the mine.
"Today is unfortunately D-day," police spokesman Dennis Adriao said.
Prior to Thursday, 10 people - including two policemen - had died in nearly a week of fighting between rival worker factions at the mine, the latest platinum plant to be hit by an eight-month union turf war.
The Marikana strikers have not made their demands explicit, although much of the bad blood stems from AMCU's challenge to the two-decade dominance of the National Union of Mineworkers, a close ally of Zuma's ruling African National Congress.
Before the police advance, AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa, whose organisation has been on a big recruitment push in South Africa's platinum mines, said there would be bloodshed if police moved in.
"We're going nowhere," he shouted through a loud-hailer, to cheers from the crowd. "If need be, we're prepared to die here."
The unrest has forced Marikana's London-headquartered owner to halt production at all its South African operations, which account for 12 percent of global platinum output.
Lonmin said it had lost the equivalent of 15,000 ounces of platinum from the six-day disruption, and was unlikely to meet its full-year production target of 750,000 ounces.
Its shares fell to a four-year low, losing 6.7 percent in London and 7.3 percent in Johannesburg. In all, they have shed more than 13 percent since the unrest started at the weekend.
At least three people were killed in a similar round of fighting in January that led to a six-week closure of the world's largest platinum mine, run nearby by Impala Platinum. That helped push the platinum price up 15 percent.
Despite South Africa's dominance of the platinum sector, rising power and labour costs and a sharp drop in the price of the precious metal this year have left many mines struggling to keep their heads above water.
(Additional reporting by Johannesburg bureau; Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Pascal Fletcher and Myra MacDonald)
Comments
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This is evil, wickedness, and
Submitted by n3c (not verified) on August 18, 2012 - 19:27.
This is evil, wickedness, and satanic capitalism to the highest order. Even war front is never treacherous. The life of black people is just worthless. Where are Tutu and Mandela? The Bufana republic is adrift again.
POLICE HAVE RIGHT TOO.
Submitted by TJohnson (not verified) on August 18, 2012 - 15:50.
Police officers have the right to protect themselves from a dangerous mob.Absolutely they do! What are the police suppose to do while a mob are advancing toward them with machetes and sticks.Maybe the police should drop their weapons and offer the angry mob cookies, right? Maybe that will appease them? No? I always read with amusement comments made by people that don't know how law enforcement works.If you bring dangerous weapons to a work place strike don't cry if they other party hurt you. These were no peaceful protesters. How many times people been hacked to death with machetes? How many times peoples been beaten to death with sticks? Peaceful protesters my ass. Let the investigations begin. We shall see.
AFRICA IS ALL D SAME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Submitted by 9jaman4real (not verified) on August 18, 2012 - 13:43.
What do you expect from a country that can hold a Nigerian citizen for nealy 2years without bail or proof on the behest of a currupt country like Nigeria. A country that would sink so low to the level like a country like Nigeria that has a very currupt and rotten goverment and justice system.A country that has a lunatic and thug like Jacob Zuma as president. What do you expect????
Resurrection of Apartheid In South Africa Again?
Submitted by AGWADA ZUBSON (not verified) on August 18, 2012 - 12:38.
Please,at this modern day and age, human beings are still being massacra like chickens, goals, cows etc. Under the watchful supervision of present Presidents of this Black Nations(African in General. What is United Nation and International Community are doing about these murderers.I thought that apartheid is over in South Africa.(Why should President Jacob Zuma,why should he supervised the killing of his own people in South Africa.So we cannot condemn aparthied, when we cannot manage own affairs without VIOLENCE?only to massacra human beings.We are in trouble in our own country and Africa.
sa
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on August 18, 2012 - 10:42.
whoo sad story,more news and gist here at www.gistyinka.com
there is matter
Submitted by Fe.muwe. on August 18, 2012 - 02:53.
in 1994, sellout mbeki the chief ANC negotiator made a deal to end POLITICAL apartheid without challenging multinational capital. labor congress COSATU (including National Union of Miners) remains impotent in alliance with ANC, so a more militant union AMCU is demanding living wages and nationalization of mines. in 2008, zuma ousted mbeki by projecting pro-worker image and personal credibility during the struggle (versus mbeki who preferred attending dinner parties in lagos and stockholm). but zuma didnt change policy (except regarding AIDS, which mbeki called a white man's conspiracy). the next ANC confab may drop zuma in favor of radical talkers like julius malema, a mugabe-wannabe with an ibori lifestyle. if the great SA labor movement wakes up, they can push ANC aside. viva mineworkers, viva!
THIS IS THE BLACKBOX FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
Submitted by nagodi (not verified) on August 18, 2012 - 01:45.
A FEW YEARS FROM NOW IF THE VICTIMS OF THESE MASSACRE REGROUP AND FORM A TERRORIST GROUP THAT WILL PLUNGE SOUTH AFRICA TO MORE VIOLENCE SOME WILL ASK WHY THE TERRORISTS ARE KILLING PEOPLE. THIS SHORT VIDEO WILL SERVE AS THE BLACKBOX FOR THOSE SENSIBLE ENOUGH TO INVESTIGATE.
A SIMILAR THING HAPPENNED IN BORNO IN 2009 ON MUCH MORE TREACHEROUS SCALE. THE PEOPLE HERE WERE RUSHING TO ATTACK THE POLICE, BUT BOKO HARAM MEMBERS WERE ARRESTED, HANDCUFFED, TAKEN TO THE POLICE STATION, TOLD TO LAY FACE DOWN AND THEN EXECUTED. 2000 DEAD NIGERIANS LATER WE ARE STILL ASKING WHY IS BOKO HARAM KILLING PEOPLE? MOST OF US ARE CONTENT TO ASSUME B/H MEMBERS FELL OFF ENKI'S SPACESHIP AND START KILLING PEOPLE.
i can't belive this
Submitted by giant (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 23:07.
am sure this is not syria where police open fire on civilian ...where is justice?www.giantcomfort.com
Unthinkable, Unbelievable,
Submitted by OLUWAFEMI (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 20:36.
Unthinkable, Unbelievable, insane,villainous and wicked to say the least.
Africans shooting Africans like killing goats.
Unthinkable, Unbelievable,
Submitted by OLUWAFEMI (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 20:31.
Unthinkable, Unbelievable, insane,villainous and wicked to say the least.
Africans shooting Africans like killing goats.
KILLING BY THE POLICE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Submitted by zstingo akwansa (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 19:48.
PLEASE AND PLEASE THOSE POLICEMEN WHO COMMITTED THE ACT SHOULD BE PROSECUTED AND SENTENCE TO DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD. THIS ACT IS TOO BAD FOR A POLICEMAN. THOSE POLICEMEN DESERVE TO DIE TOO.
Resurrection of apartheid!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 18:23.
This act is reminding us that apartheid is still possible in the 21st century. It is alarming!
this is barbaric
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 17:00.
this shows the height of injustice African leaders can melt on the followers....abeg is it a crime to protest?, this is what they did to the BH that is causing Naija trouble....SA i pity una, una go soon see wetin naija eye dey see....STUPID ZUMA....you are noting but an ANIMAL...Monkey of the barbarian...
THIS EXECUTION IS A
Submitted by JIDE OJO (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 16:38.
THIS EXECUTION IS A GENOCIDE.IT MEANS THERE IS STILL STRONG APARTHIED IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Barbaric massacre of legitimate strikers...to please the Brits !
Submitted by Wähala (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 12:13.
That near-naked fool Jacob di Zule Zuma should resign over this. Whatever happened to rubber bullets? Police opening fire on marching strikers is wrong no matter how many machettes they wield, it's a mismatch to expect them to anihilate the zulu police forces. This is premedidated slaughter. The kind Naija police carried out on the Bokos that has landed us in a gaugmire. Why are things "African" always violent, from elections in Ivory Coast to chopping off limbs in Sierre-Leon? Why are Africans always ready to commit heinous crimes for "precious metals" that enrich the west? Calling them "hardcore criminals" just to murder them. Zuma is a big fool and a class clown, he's no better than the Afrikaans! The video is repulsive, Zuma should be prosecuted for crimes against humanity before he starts throwing bombs at innocent people.
Revenge on lost Apartheid
Submitted by J Salvage (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 11:48.
Mandela forgot, forgave and made the black to do the same. But the white will never forget nor forgive but always wait for opportunity for revenge.
This massacre of the merely protesting workers for a living wage was enactment and revenge on the lost apartheid. The deaths were avoidable. The white Police would have fired on the ground or in the air to stop the bullets reaching the protesters and then scared them away.
All protesters should know the limit of provocation of the authority. They should not be carrying weapons, attacking and killing the Police. The Police are also human beings.
Yes, when you think about the Police sometimes abuse of power you would want to do the ultimate to them. There need to be a restraint to avoid Police excessive retaliation in the guise of maintaining law and order.
The Police in any country should not be armed but only their arm response unit. The UN should look into the revenge for lost apartheid
WHAT A PITY
Submitted by Baba2023 (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 11:16.
Human Lives are been used to play politics, too bad. We should be careful when it comes to taking a life since we cannot create one.
I saw the TV shot. This is
Submitted by pee (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 10:38.
I saw the TV shot. This is bruitish to say the least. The police should have beat a temporary retreat rather than this appartheid style massacre. I did'nt South African police is that primitive
Impossible
Submitted by corner stone (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 09:53.
Impossible, we are humanbeings not animals, unbelievable. what a world we are living.Evil have taking controll of this wonderful world God has made for us to leave in peace with each other. oh! what an evil minded beings.
I thought its only in Nigeria
Submitted by Moses (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 08:07.
I thought its only in Nigeria such things happen, so other African countries are also going bannanas.
Revenge on lost Apartheid
Submitted by J Salvage (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 07:51.
Mandela forgot, forgave and made the black to do the same. But the white will never forget nor forgive. This massacre of the merely protesting workers for a living wage was enactment and revenge on the lost apartheid.
The deaths were avoidable. The white Police would have fired on the ground or air to stop the bullets reaching the protesters and then scared them away.
All protesters should know the limit of provocation of the authority. They should not be carrying weapons, attacking and killing the Police. The Police are also human beings. Yes, when you think about their sometimes abuse of power you would want to do the ultimate to them. There need to be a restraint to avoid Police excessive retaliation in the guise of maintaining law and order.
The Police in any country should not be armed but only their arm response unit.
I WEEP FOR AFRICA
Submitted by SUNNY (not verified) on August 17, 2012 - 04:35.
At this day and age, human beings, particulaly Africans, are being massacra like chickens under the watchful eyes of a NEO-COLONIALIST black presisent, (womanizer Jacob Zuma), in South Africa. Who are we to condemn aparthied when we cannot manage own affairs without VIOLENCE? I weep for Africa.
