DISPUTES
Mineworkers say no to racism
Mine workers in Welkom have joined the community in a consu- mer boycott after many attacks by
while vigilantes.
For the past three months Ttiabong residents and mineworkers from the surrounding mines of President
Brand, Harmony and St Helena have been assaulted and shot at by racist white vigilantes and AWB members.
On 21 March a union member, Cde Mnikelo Ndamase of St Hele- na, was brutally murdered by
AWB thugs while silting in a park.
Right wingers have been roaming the town in bakkies assaulting and shooting indiscriminately at any black people on the streets after dark.
Mineworkers participating in the NIJM campaign against mines ra- cism such as separate cages and toilets have been threatened by while minewokers. There have been several reports of guns being carried underground
Thabong residents and minewok- ers decided to call the consumer boycott to protest peacefully
against the attacks and murders by while vigilmntes at a mass rally on Sunday, 6 May.
The NUM said the root cause of ihe violence in the OFS was the system of apartheid. "Whites in South Africa have been indoctri- nated for decades that they were superior lo blacks because of tbeir racc and skin colour."
T h e people in the OFS both black and white must realise that the days of apartheid are over."
At the same time, said the NUM in a statement, the union did not have any "illusions" that three centuries of racial discrimination could be forgotten at once.
"As a disciplined non-racial or- ganisation, the union had to make a contribution by words and
deeds in ensuring that the process of change comes about with the fewest possible casualties.*
Addressing 25 000 mineworkers at a rally at Harmony Stadium on 4 April, NUM President James Motlalsi appealed for peace.
He called on white miners lo
"sever their relationship with apartheid" and join the NUM.
The reason white miners were joining right wing organisations was to protect their privileges, he
said. Black mineworkers did not want to take away such privileg- es, he said, but lo ensure equal
wages for equal work.
Both while and black minework- ers were exploited by the mine bosses, he said. He said that min-
eworkers should attempt to seek peaceful solutions.
The issue of racism on the mines was also discussed at the Nl IM's Central Committee meeting held on 21 April. After weeks of protest action on the mines and after more than 60 different ex-
amples of racism on the mines had been given, the CC resolved lo give the mining industry a deadline for ihe eradication of
apartheid on the mines. If this demand is not met woken will
lake national action. SAP officers search miners outside No. 1 Shaft In Welkom after clashes wflh a group of black miners durfng which two white miners were Used.
