Post #244

Marikana Massacre [ Cost of Negligence ] 2:32 🌟 On August 16, 2012, South African police shot dead 34 striking miners at the Marikana platinum mine, and 78 others were injured. It was the deadliest use of force by the state since the end of apartheid, and a scar that still remains on the face of South Africa's mining. ➡️The background The crisis began at British Lonmin's Marikana mine, where miners where some of employees demanded a base salary increase from about $400 to $1,200. An important factor was the competition between two South African mining trade unions - the NUM trade union, which traditionally comprised the majority of Lonmin's workers, refused to support the goal, considering it unattainable. However, NUM was suspected of having ties to the state at that time, so the workers listened to their competitors from the AMCU trade union, who promised the miners a higher salary, aiming to score points for themselves. Tensions were rising rapidly. In view of the above mentioned, not only Lonmin guards and government security forces, but even NUM stood against the striking miners. In the days leading up to August 16, 10 people were killed in multiple clashes, including miners, security personnel, and police officers. ➡️On August 16, the police decided to break up the strike and disarm the miners. ➡️ To do this, they decided to surround the strikers and use tear gas and other means to force them to disperse. ➡️ In response to the beginning of the movement of strikers, which the police considered an attempted attack, the police opened fire. After the shooting, President Jacob Zuma set up the Farlam Commission of Inquiry. Its final report in 2015 said the police operation to disarm and disperse the strikers was rushed and dangerously designed, and it pointed to serious failures of command. Even so, criminal accountability has moved slowly. More than a decade later, very few officers have faced charges linked to the 16 August deaths. #CostOfNegligence Devils Below