The Industrial Workers of the World extend solidarity to the Lonmin Strikers, their families and communities. In the pursuit of better working conditions, standards of living and personal freedom they chose to exercise their rights as free people to stop work. They were met with a brutal attack by the State leading to the massacre of over 30 miners and the injury of more than 70 others. Adding insult to injury, over 200 strikers were arrested and charged under an apartheid era law with the deaths of their murdered fellow workers. This is a clear attempt by the State to intimidate all workers into submission and to prevent self-organizing and direct action.
We are united in resistance to the violence of Capitalism and of States that uphold the neoliberal system. We condemn the actions of the Lonmin owners, managers and shareholders, who reap their wealth from the exploitation of working people and the State-sanctioned robbery of valuable resources from beneath their feet. We condemn the cops and guards who protect the interests of the powerful by arresting, beating and murdering workers. We condemn the actions of any person or group who engage in strike breaking and scabbing: they betray all working people and are a disgrace to the history of class struggle.
While the murder charges of their fellow workers have been dropped, we will not be satisfied until the people who pulled the trigger are brought to justice and the strikers’ demands are met. Wherever solidarity is criminalized; we too stand guilty. We are ready to aid the strikers and their brave families in whatever capacity we can. An injury to one is an injury to all!