Comments on The Pensive Quill: Murdering Miners

The Massacre of Our Illusions...and the Seeds of S...

2012-09-03T22:34:20.886+01:00

The Massacre of Our Illusions...and the Seeds of Something New

These kinds of events show us that the shift in So...

2012-08-29T03:07:06.419+01:00

These kinds of events show us that the shift in South Africa was never controlled by "race." Race was just a tool for the rich to use to divide powerful from powerless. Now, with political discourse largely turned away from race (except against Arabs/Muslims, which can still be targets of more open racism), we see the same exploitation happening under a different banner.

A friend in London sent me the link to the followi...

2012-08-28T20:06:15.380+01:00

A friend in London sent me the link to the following page. He recommends it as one of the best pieces written on the matter.

The Marikana Mine Worker's Massacre – a Massive Escalation in the War on the Poor

Michael, The point I was making was why these wo...

2012-08-28T13:16:25.341+01:00

Michael,

The point I was making was why these workers felt the need to arm themselves, and it was little different from the reason why people like MM carried arms in Derry on Bloody Sunday, ie they felt they had no alternative.

As it turned out their weapons were not used on that day; and we only have the evidence from a discredited section of the SA police that the striking workers used their weapons at the mine. Indeed new evidence is emerging most of the dead miners were shot in the back.

There is a good reason why solders often make poor politicians and it is to do with the nature of soldering, which in many ways is the opposite of democratic accountability.

mick

Organized Rage- You are correct when you say that...

2012-08-28T11:30:30.074+01:00

Organized Rage-

You are correct when you say that this was a dreadful massacre which took place at that mine-but it was not on the same par as bloody sunday as those miners were armed to the teeth-whist the marches in Derry were un-armed when they were cut-down by the paras-

You are also correct about the Cuban health care and the hard work to tackle illiteracy- but those figures have been helped by the many Thousands of poor Cubans who deserted their homeland for the USA- Millions of poor have flooded into South Africa after the
ANC win which is their right-but it made a difficult situation harder-but as you say- more should be done-

" history teaches soldiers make piss poor democratic politicians "

Again true- but history also teaches us that bankers,reporters,buisness people can also become piss poor politicians- its the peoples choice-sometimes they have not got a good selection during a election-

Dreadful massacre, Larry is spot on this is an ind...

2012-08-27T18:55:43.113+01:00

Dreadful massacre, Larry is spot on this is an indictment of the way the ANC has ruled since it gained power.

These workers had need of what weapons they could lay their hands on as they were caught between a neo liberal corporation which is in bed with the ANC government and a corrupt trade union leadership, whose former head is on the board of the very company they are in dispute with.

The police massacred these men because they had been green lighted to do so. Just as bloody Sunday was an attempt by the British state to intimidate the nationalist community, these shooting were an attempt to drive these workers back to the NUM, which has morphed into a corrupt company union.

Before Michael continues to defend the indefensible within 25 years of the Cuban revolution, illiteracy had become almost a thing of the past and health care was on a par with the USA. This from a nation which was under a US blockade and with no natural resource beyond the revolutionary spirit of the cuban leadership and the determination of the cuban people.

SA has gold and countless other natural resources, it had the support of the overwhelming majority of the worlds people. It should have become a beacon of freedom and prosperity for all. Instead the ANC governments dragged their feet and willingly fell into bed with neo liberal multi national corporations.

I know its easy for me to criticise but perhaps the ANC has outlasted its usefulness, It was a vehicle which was designed to be inclusive to all who wished to fight apartheid, that struggle was won, the ANC was necessary during the struggle and the transition period, but now it has morphed into governing what amounts to a one party state.

What ever the south africans decide it cannot carry on as it is.

Finally I would add this, history teaches soldiers make piss poor democratic politicians and Jacob Zuma is not an exception.

Looks like the same ones who are opposed to the AN...

2012-08-27T12:59:12.514+01:00

Looks like the same ones who are opposed to the ANC also oppose Sinn Fein-such is life-

I have no time for those that brought guns and knifes to that strike and put the other miners lifes on risk-they wanted to kill but got death instead-

Who ever is in charge of the police
should be put on trial with those police that shot and killed-be it those that give the order to shoot or their over-all commander-the president-
Julius Malema has that much money that he cant hide it-but he is ok to some because he is against the ANC that fought and won the war-

SA'S economy , like Zimbabwe performed better ...

2012-08-27T12:05:15.863+01:00

SA'S economy , like Zimbabwe performed better under white rule. Completely predictable. Shame on black Africans for being totally inept, corupt. Mandela, all talk, no substance. Where's Annie Lennox and Bob Geldof ? L'Pool still can't win, plus ca change.

Larry, 'The amount of firepower unleashed int...

2012-08-27T08:41:10.587+01:00

Larry,

'The amount of firepower unleashed into rather than over the crowd just proves the revenge factor I think.'

Good point. They never sought the alternative.

Incredible to think that after the ANC had Mandela...

2012-08-27T08:31:26.212+01:00

Incredible to think that after the ANC had Mandela voted in as President and aparthied was apparently ended the shanty towns and shacks remain a quarter of a century on. Even durung the fledgling industrial revolution in Victorian Britain, back to back terrace housing was built by mine and mill owners. Squalid as they were, they were provided. With the experience of history and all their resources, South Afrca seems to have no interest in its peoples welfare. Maybe that's the reason Johannesberg is described as the most dabgerous city on earth for tourists. The more things change the more they stay the same. SF wont do anything to upset the real power structure here in Ireland either. That's why they are unrecognisable as the same party either side of the border. As for the massacre in S. Africa, it was brutal. Straighforward revenge for two policemen being hacked to death a day or two previous. The amount of firepower unleashed into rather than over the crowd just proves the revenge factor I think.