Join Afrique365 Radio at 11 ET/10 CT for a rebroadcast of Wuyi Jacobs Show on WBAI 99.5 FM.
Wuyi Jacobs talks to Jonathan Horowitzof the Open Society Justice Initiative on the newly released report: Counterterrorism and Human Rights Abuses in Kenya and Uganda: The World Cup Bombing and Beyond. Continuing the AfrobeatRadio/EJOLT series, Firoze Manji talks to environmental activist and Professor at Lund University, Alf Hornburg of the Environmental Justice Organization Liabilities and Trade (EJOLT). Finally, Rwandan politician Boniface Twagirimana, Interim VP of the United Democratic Forces-Inkingi joins us to discuss the the political space in Rwanda and Madam Victoire Ingabire’s recent sentencing to 8 years in jail on trumped up charges.
Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says the dismissal of workers is not a solution to the mining crisis. The federation movement has urged mining companies to stop dismissing or threatening to dismiss striking miners.
Cosatu’s stance comes after the deputy financemade a similar call last week. As it makes an appeal to mining companies to stop threatening to fire workers, Cosatu also says it believes the system of collective bargaining is in jeopardy.
General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi says: “Accordingly, we call on all the mining companies contemplating short cuts such as mass dismissals of workers to desist from carrying out such threats.” Vavi says instead, “join us to save the future of collective bargaining in our country.”
Wild cat strikes have now spread to platinum mines in Limpopo and coal mines in KwaZulu- Natal, with violence and intimidation said to be escalating. According to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)’s Frans Baleni: Last night, petrol bombs were thrown at properties, either of shop-stewards or the company.”
The Chamber of Mines will tomorrow meet with NUM, Solidarity and UASA for crisis talks
Baleni adds that other incidents included intensified stone-throwing in and around Rustenburg. In another incident, he says a shop-steward was pulled out of his Kloof room and shot at close range. Baleni says several people have been injured as violence escalates. He notes that their fear now is that the more dismissals take place, more violence will be experienced.
The Chamber of Mines will tomorrow meet with NUM, Solidarity and UASA for crisis talks. But the chamber only represents gold and coal companies, not the platinum industry where there is no system of collective bargaining at industry level.
Cosatu and NUM say they will soon begin talks with platinum mining companies to establish collective bargaining in that industry.
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