leaving 9 miners dead and 250 wounded. The National Union of Mineworkers accepted a last-minute pay offer from the Chamber of Mines. The workers demanded a 20 wage increase; the bosses offered 12 per cent. Eventually a 14 per crease was agreed plus holiday pay.
In the past, migrant workers liane a on received a "travel bonus' when they took time off to go and visit their families in the distant 'homelands'.
Not all The striking miners, however, western areas, the miners were fighting not only for increased pay but also for union recognition. The so-called 'fracas' which the • referred to, was the battle between strikers and who returned to work.
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Take out a years inland subscription we will send you free one of these books: Thatcher and Friends by John Ross Over our Dead Bodies Women Against the Bomb Introductory offer for new readers: Eight issues for just £2! THE FIRST LEGAL strike of black miners in South African history ended only 24 hours after it started, She ponce were ced in, resulting in 250 people injured and 9 killed, accor ling to official figure By last Thursday, 8001 miners were still on strike Hartebeesfontein mine.
As is usual in South Africa the unrest JulC management 'tribal animosity' and 'agitators'. This is a palpable lie.
The strikes were not tribal in origin but response to the low wage increases which go no way to meet the steep increases in the cost of living.
This year has seen a steep increase in the prices of basic necessities; the general sales tax has been ***** hiked to 10 per cent.
anthoritie feared was a repetition of the 1982 strikes which volved 100,000 This the largest scale labour action to hit the e mining industry since most costly in miners' lives since the penheimer-owned Carle tonville mine in 1973.
Wages The strikes in 1982 Are a w c the current ones. July customaril the month when the Chamber Mines announces wage increases.
On the wage issue, the workers two-fold. They want increases to compensate fol inflation • to keep their wages at the real value; and they want a new higher level of earnings their present wages still being a pittance.
as today, the mine owners offered an inof about 12 per Creast This means, fect, that the black mineworkers were being asked to accept a drop in their real incomes. The inflation level was running at 16 per cent.
Black mineworkers in South Africa are not onl about wages. concerted are also fighting for improved conditions work. While he is working mines, miner knows no freedom.
Unlike the factory workers who leave for home at 5pm, the miner is confined to living out the term of his contract in the compound.
These compounds are single-sex complexsome of ine newer hostels • HIVIC spacious and have 16 men per room, it is not uncom mon to find 20 men crowdIn order to keep the miners divided, rooms and sections of the compounds divided 'ethnically'. The very structure • 0 IT compounds is built in expectation of unrest. Mos have tightlyconnored eterne The newer ones built so that sections car be sealed off if necessary. At the slightest provocation the police are called in 'restore order' The police form a substantial part of management's inBlack miners in South Africa live in an environment whose oppressiveness is total. By organising in the National Union of Mineworkers, they have taken the first necessary step to arm themselves for the mgnts waich sulli ahead.