South Africa pays tribute to 44 dead in mine Marikana

South Africa has paid tribute Thursday to 44 dead in mine Marikana (north), most of which were killed in the police operation the bloodiest since the end of apartheid. Most platinum mines in the area had given leave to their employees so they can get to the ceremony Marikana the main tribute the nation Thursday. The celebration was attended by several thousand people in two large white tents erected near the hill where the fatal police killed 34 people and wounded 78 when it opened fire Thursday, August 16, on strikers machetes, iron bars and some firearms. Ten other people, including two policemen, were killed during the previous days of clashes between rival unions that broke out on August 10. Some 3,000 drillers Marikana operated by the group Lonmin, 100 km west of Pretoria, had then gone on strike to demand a tripling of their salary (from 400 to 1,250 euros). Direction remained deaf to their claims, noting that they are already earning 1,100 euros, including bonuses. The police were low-profile, standing away from the ceremony. The victims' bodies were returned to their families, mostly in very remote areas of the mine.

Several ceremonies

The small radical union AMCU accused of waving platinum mines in the region since the beginning of the year, had organized his own memorial earlier in the morning with the support of the "Friends of the ANCYL" League ANC Youth whose main leaders were excluded or suspended a few months ago and has served as an internal opposition to the ruling party. Julius Malema, the former president of the Youth League has been accused of using the tragedy Marikana to rebound after his exclusion from the ANC, was nevertheless present at the main ceremony, sitting in second place. He grabbed a microphone at the end of the ceremony, directly attacking party and government: "The government's reasons for not intervening is that the benefits must continue," he told the crowd. "We're not going to withdraw, we will not go until we Umlungu + + (the White Zulu, note) gives us our money," said the young tribune, customary verbal excesses connotation racist, recalling that whites have kept most of the economic power in South Africa. President Jacob Zuma, who went to Marikana Wednesday to speak to minors, was not present at Thursday's ceremony. He installed the inquiry promised to shed light on the shooting of 16 August, and gave him five months to reach its conclusions. The flags are at half mast since Monday across the country at the request of President Jacob Zuma, whose government is accused of not having anticipated the drama. The issue of claims strikers Marikana remains unresolved. Minister Mildred Oliphant Labour said it had met with union representatives AMCU without extending the discussions. And if the tragedy Marikana drew attention to the precarious living conditions of South African miners, businessmen wondered now if the movement would spread. Hundreds of drillers disengaged Wednesday to demand increases in another platinum mine, owned by South African group Royal Bafokeng Platinum. Some of them returned to work Thursday after a call in the sense of the majority union NUM, said a spokesman. Another mine in the area is also under pressure, the giant Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has been summoned to answer by Friday to a set of claims.