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We take note of reports that 8 National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members have been arrested by SAPS at the Northam Platinum Zonderinde Hostel in connection with the brutal murder of Mr Thembinkosi Mhlabeni a member of AMCU. Cde Mhlabeni was murdered on the 6th of June 2016 whilst waiting at the designated area by management waiting for further instructions. The arrestees appeared in Northam Magistrate Court on Friday 24 June 2016 and were denied bail.

We take no joy at this development. We are encouraged that the police have seemingly done what they are expected to do, namely to investigate and arrest suspects they believe have been responsible for criminal activity, in this case murder.

Too often killing of AMCU members do not receive the priority of the police or the prosecuting authorities. But the more important and urgent issue that we as a workers movement must resolve and that is how do we avoid conflict between working class.

How do we prevent ourselves being used is a cynical strategy of the bosses and the government of divide and rule? We wish to take this opportunity to unequivocally state that workers belonging to non-AMCU unions are not our enemies. They are our brothers and sisters and in a situation where the bosses and the government are attacking workers’ rights and living conditions in an attempt to resolve their crisis of the mining sector we must unite as workers against our class enemy.

We must condemn any worker who uses violence against other workers. We must condemn union leaders that slander other union leaders just because they belong to a different organisation. In the conditions we live through today of retrenchments, of firing of workers at every turn, of health and safety disasters that lead to the deaths of workers we must live the slogan an injury to one is an injury to all.
 

If we fail to do this, the bosses will drive down our wages, will dismiss our comrades and destroy our lives. We must fight the scourge of sectarianism where we are manipulated to hate our sisters and brothers. Peace amongst workers, war on the profit maximizing strategies of the bosses. Stop the killings; unite to defend workers’ rights.

Issued by AMCU