Platinum giant Lonmin and President Jacob Zuma were
behind the killing of mineworkers at Marikana, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
leader Julius Malema claimed
on Friday.
"You got blood on your hands,
innocent blood," he said to applause at a commemoration rally in Marikana,
North West.
"Zuma sent the police to kill
protesting workers on 16 August [last year]."
He said if Lonmin had agreed to meet
workers, the miners would not have been killed.
"Lonmin, you remain the enemy until
you pay workers R12 500 [a month]. "Down with Zuma," Malema chanted.
The crowd responded by clapping hands.
Malema refused to sit down when his three
minutes of allocated time expired.
"I am a politician. If you invite me
I will speak politics. I am not going to speak for three minutes," he told Dali Mpofu who
directed the programme.
Friday's event marked a year since 44
people were killed during a wage-related strike at Lonmin's Marikana
operations.
Thirty-four mineworkers were killed when
police fired on them on 16 August while attempting to disperse and disarm them.
The workers - armed with spears, pangas,
iron rods and knobkerries - had gathered on top of a hill. They demanded a
monthly salary of R12 500.
Ten people, including two policemen, were
killed in strike-related violence in the week before the shooting.
Malema was given a hero's welcome when he
arrived at the rally earlier on Friday.
The crowd clapped, whistled, and raised
hands when he arrived. Guests in a VIP tent rose when he entered.
Malema wore a red EFF beret, a black
shirt, and dark sunglasses.
Malema arranged for lawyers to represent
270 mineworkers arrested after the shooting.
At the time he was suspended as leader of
the ANC Youth League.
He was later expelled from the ANC.
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
0 comments:
Post a Comment