defeat the British owned companies are right at the forefront of this dirty game. three companies strikers will lead to action in other mines.
The NUM with over 150,000 members is South tially most powerful black trade union. It is also one of the fastest growing black unions. Its numbers doubled in the past tan have more than years, despite the enor difficultie: of HOUS organising in the industry miners are forced to live in compounds isolated from the rest of the community. Over 95 per cent are classed as migrants. Within the compounds they are forcibly divided along tribal lines by the companies using a method known as the induna -SYSTER CASSISCIE the indunas 'tribal representatives' — in realimine police. During periods of unrest the tribal police THE STRIKE by 70,000 black miners which began on Sunday is a potentially explosive deepening of the struggle in South Africa. Although the strike is confined to seven gold mines and collieries owned by • Gold Fields of South Africa, Gencor and Anglo Vaal - the National Union of Mineworkers has warned that any action against the become important targets for the workers becaus they are seen as tools of management.
The companies involved in the present strike are among the most repressive muscowies South Africa. Other companies in the Chamber of Mines have conceded rises of between 17 and 22 per response to the NUM's 22 cent demand. The three companie which lave held out are ones i which the NUM is more weakly organised.
But even in these three companies the NUM has been growing. In Februar Fields r two of Gol mines East Driefontein and Kloof saw major action by the workers.
AL East Driefontein the February action by 13,000 miners resulted in 813 dismissals and the arrest Or 19 Suall stewards Violence by police mine security left well ove 145 people injured, when police opened workers who had sat down at the main gate.
mine worker described the scene: 'We all sat still. Then they opened fire...live bullets, rubber bullets and tear orkers were running in Chaos broke out. smoke all over. It was like all directions. There a war.' Despite the dismissals and the arrests the NUM has reorganised itself in the mine.
There is no doubt that the mining companies will attempt to crush the pre sent strike using the police uM's warring that ac The tion against the strikers will lead to solidarity actio may well be put to the test.
The mining companies brutal repression. In 1982, for example, a strike by 70,000 miners left t 10 dead and hundreds injured.
The black miners of South Africa are waging a heroic struggle for the most basic rights - the right to organise, the right to strike, the right to de cent living conditions and working conditions, the fight to end the inhuman system of apartheid. Th NUM has no strike func and the poverty wages of black workers mean that they will face severe hard. ship in addition to polic repression. Financial aid and messages of suppor are vital.
The address of the NUM is: PO Box 10928, Johannesburg 2000 • The Anti-Apartheid Movement has established a special fund, with Peter Heathfield as one of the trustees, to channel aid to the striking miners.
Send to: Emergency Miners runa Lloyds Bank, TotCourt Rd., Lon. don W1. Account 7092256 sorting code 301882.