Tales from the Mines

I learnt, with relief, that the miners at Lonmin have reached a settlement with their employers.

I was particularly relieved because the plight of these hard-working men from our African continent had become subject of political footballing from both the ruling party and its oppositions. The situation, regardless of who is at fault, had turned the plight of honest men into a joke, a public relations exercise for some and a place to score political points for the politicians (ruling and opposition).
People went there to show "solidarity" to the miners, others went to "strengthen the positions of the Union", other went to attempt to resolve the dispute and others went to negotiate. It was interesting to watch the ANC cadre sweat over Julius Malema's presence there, you'd swear they were seeing god they way that they shivered and trembled in anticipation of what he would say.

As usual, the 747 Booeing Airbus, Julius Malema, did not disappoint; he landed right at the spot. He told them exactly what he thought of them and their interests in mines and the white people who own these mines, and how he would be in and among the revolution that seeks to obliterate all forms of exploitation. Others also spoke there. UWC Chancellor and Bishop of Cape Town, The Most Rev Dr Thabo Makgoba also went there to seek to implant peace and harmony throughout the process of negotiation.

And not for the first time in our history, the liberals were also all over the show; "giving support and political advice" to many exploited and hard-working Black people, whose current condition is a direct result of a 400 year old tradition of Black oppression and economic side-lining. They were also there when revolutionaries wanted to cleanse our land of the vile capitalist and racist systems through bloodshed. They raised the "voice of reason" and negotiated that we, today, may continue living the life they had designed and planned for us.

The non-White, in Biko's terms, was also involved. But he came in much later; after the massacre. He raised points relating to how much "Black people have suffered as a collective" and how "we Black people should come and stand together" in this fight. But the thing with the non-white today, and in the context of Marikana and other mining areas that face the same problem, is that the "collective" he speaks of only began feeling the pain that the miners feel everyday, after the cops/soldiers had executed the people there. He was never there all along and only when the full manifestation of the capitalist evil is revealed does he come.
I heard them speak yesterday after it was announced yesterday that miners have reached and agreement with their employers, saying things like: "Again, the capitalist gets his way.", others said "those miners were forced to sign the deal". Whatever their views may be but fact is that none have the truth of what happened and as for my take; the miners settled for what was a good deal for them.

The fact that certain people from certain quarters are unhappy about that deal, when the affected people are, is really a question of wishful yapping on their part. The reality of the matter is that we should cease this tradition of reactionarism and begin at the very beginning: that is; stop waiting for tragedies to occur before we seek to address issues. Here, people have always known that miners are treated like s#&%^#t and none ever bothered to pick up a placard and mobilise people against the employer.

Many of us here in cape Town are still subjected to capitalist exploitation and ill-treatment from the capitalist who hire them, but none dare come forward. Some of the Black Consciousness Towers I was listening to yesterday after the announcement, also work under unimaginable conditions but they never dare to pick up their placards. So, what I am saying is that, if we are to lead a radical revolution of all economic means, people must stop seeing their own lives as most valuable than others.

The reality of things is that it Black people who are continually subjects of such BS. The liberals here also play a very strong in the suppression and marginalisation of the Black and the poor because he will always come with his ideas of how "an amicable resolution" could be reached,  totally oblivious to the fact that ours is a struggle that borders way beyond the confines of a single incident. This is a 400 years old struggle, my people. It began way back and it is as persistent today as it was when white people ruled South Africa.

We must rejoice that the miners have agreed on something for we now know that their children's bread will continue to come as it did. However, we must also not forget that this is no victory but a miner scratch on an otherwise bigger surface, our surface. Now, the non-white and the Black person must now look upon themselves and question the route by which they could reach their destiny and if this, this current dispensation and leadership, is their destiny, suffice it to say we are doomed for the next 400years.

I mention Black people, non-white people (in Biko's terms) and not white people in this essay because only a handful of white people would understand our problems, especially financially because the system have always functioned to serve and protect their interests.
Let's Chat about this! (if unesbindi)