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Malema and the miners in South Africa

September 11th, 2012
06:01 PM ET

Eighteen years after apartheid, the hopes and dreams of the rainbow nation – South Africa – are coming apart at the seams. Mounting anger at the perceived enrichment of a small elite at the expense of the majority – especially the miners who extract South Africa's most precious minerals – has exploded into a violent strike, now in its fifth week.

With the government of Jacob Zuma largely silent on this issue, activists are calling for a national mining strike.

Julius Malema, a former leader of the youth wing of the African National Congress political party, has become the face of the crisis.

Malema was expelled from the ANC for fomenting division within the party. He is now being investigated for corruption charges related to the misuse of party funds while he was in office.

He is a harsh critic of the Zuma government and the unrest has given him a window to step into the leadership void left by Zuma.

Malema is calling for a national strike in all of South Africa's mines, but his critics see him as a rabble rouser and opportunist, using the miners to increase his profile.

In an interview Tuesday, Malema told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “We have now taken over the leadership of that struggle to make sure the mineral resources of this country benefit the people of this country. Particularly the workers who are working very hard in very risky conditions underground, trying to take out these precious minerals.” 

When Amanpour pressed him on why was inserting himself into the strikes, he contended that he remains a leader of the ANC in spite of his expulsion.

“We continue to play that role to ensure that the working class in South Africa does not become leaderless because those who are charged with such a responsibility have taken leave from discharging such responsibility.”

WATCH: Life for a South African miner

The situation among the miners descended into chaos back on August 16, when 34 striking workers were killed by police at a platinum mine near Marikana, South Africa.

It became the most violent confrontation between police and civilians since the end of apartheid; and images of armed officers firing into the crowd played repeatedly in South Africa.

Now there are reports of striking miners threatening to kill those who do show up for work.

The state of affairs has placed a harsh light on the economic inequality that plagues South Africa. The World Bank says the country is second only to Namibia in inequality.

Nearly two decades after apartheid, the miners – virtually all black – are paid very little. They make about $400 USD a month and live in squalor – often without running water, electricity or proper toilets.

For now, the mining strikes appear to highlight the income gap, as well as a leadership gap in the Rainbow Nation.

One of the miners told CNN’s Nkepile Mabuse, "It seems as though the government has forgotten about us and is siding with the mining companies. Black people in South Africa are being used like toilet paper, and then flushed."

soundoff (176 Responses)
  1. Hendrik

    It's very hard to take this buffoon seriously. He lives a life of luxury, never having worked a day in his life. He has a butler, a fleet of cars and 24/7 protection yet he whines about the wealth gap. The idiot does not offer anything constructive but total distruction – in his small mind all he can think about is the "struggle" If he wants to see real struggle he should visit Somalia, Sudan, or any other african bread basket to see real suffering.

    September 11, 2012 at 9:39 pm | Reply
    • MG_Slang

      He was born in a poor family though! He knows what he is talking about.

      September 12, 2012 at 4:13 am | Reply
      • Badger

        @MG_Slang, he does not have a clue about what he is saying. We are becoming a failed state. We should never have ended apartheid. Sorry to say but true. There are a lot of black people who would agree. Because in the "old" days there were jobs, very little crime and a thriving economy.

        Now the rest of the worlds just sits back, does nothing and watches us flow into the Abyss.

        September 12, 2012 at 5:41 am |
      • Dan

        As a South African I would like to say, that this guy is a huge embarrassment to this country. He is amongst those who still hold onto the this foolish concept of wealth redistribution, which historically has proven not to work. Also, Malema has a huge chip on his shoulder regarding his own legitimacy and integrity regarding the very lush life style that he lives in, with no education and real work effort. He labels the black community in this country that has worked hard in receiving an education and climbing the corporate level ,'whites' ie- not associated with the 'struggle'. He is an embarrassment and needs to be tried and sentenced for treason.

        September 12, 2012 at 9:02 am |
      • UncleBob

        MG_Slang – Go sit down and eat your banana, little baboon!! You don't have a clue what's going on!

        September 12, 2012 at 3:58 pm |
      • White-Slang

        ....born in a poor family and so was I, a poor white family, now we are considered to be PANDA's : Previously Advantaged, Now DisadvAntaged, while we never experienced favours or wealth...........

        September 14, 2012 at 2:30 am |
    • MG_Slang

      @Badger. Good luck man!..

      September 12, 2012 at 6:12 am | Reply
    • guy

      What he says regarding the working class is correct. A small minority of blacks in South Africa have made millions since apartheid and live very lavish lifestyles, while the rest of the black population are worse off economocally than they were under apartheid.

      He is their only hope as all other black leaders are obsessed with their lifestyle and not that of the people who voted them onto their privaleged perches. Viva Malema

      September 13, 2012 at 2:38 pm | Reply
      • Mfolo

        It's because there is nothing worse than a black capitalist – and most of them become that when they have too much money...

        September 14, 2012 at 2:32 am |
      • Maurice

        South Africa was the first large ecnomomy and industrialised nation to be handed to black majority rule. A big machine to stop, evident by the fact that in spite of nepotism, extreme levels of corruption, a de facto one party state 'democracy', collapse of numerous state organs, spiraling violent crime, affrimative action laws (read racism against non-black people) and so on, it managed to crawl along. Much of the pre 1994 soft infrastructure have now been eroded and/or corrupted and the pre-1994 hard infrastructure under stress. My guess is, it will slowly implode in certain areas and become more chaotic with sporadic episodes of violence, gradually transitioning to a failed state . Large industrial /mining nodes will continue to function, heavily protected by private security forces and paying 'taxes' to the 'kings' whilst raking in good profits for shareholders. Civil society will eventually conform to African standards (however defined at the time) and rely on the odd Western handout, politicians will indulge in pomp and ceremony, securing their 'elected' seat by inheritance, bribe or bullet, the 360 year old European civil society in the south will slowly and very painfully grind to a halt. Those who prefer living in a reasonably just and fair society will find the conditions untenable. This will take years. The power from the East of course might change all of this – how and into what, we do not yet know.

        September 15, 2012 at 8:05 am |
      • jeff

        If you really believe that Malema is the only hope that the black population of South Africa has than God help you, and the poor people that he claims to represent. If he ever again gains a position of power he will use it to enrich himself and his friends at the same time he will destroy any future any of us have in South Africa. He has the potential to be worse than Mugabe. Follow him at your peril. The government doesn't work, but its what the majority voted for and until a viable alternative is found, it's what we are stuck with

        September 16, 2012 at 10:57 am |
    • Lebo

      Firstly the breakdown in communication between workers and mines is a result of Senior management passing the job to a someone else. Now is the time for mines to finally get their workers on the table to negotiate without Unions. Form a workable relationship while the platform allows. If we look at the FACT that workers don't understand how companies are run and structured it’s easy for them to think that if a mine makes billions daily that they should be able to afford a wage increase. As for the unpatriotic acts of Mr. Malema he should be held for treason. We as South African have a DARK past which we cannot ignore or expect people to get over like it was a heartache caused by a high school crush. Until we UNITE as one nation a true Rainbow nation, and stop living in this fallacy of a NONE racial democracy. This I foresee is the start of many more unresolved apartheid issues. May GOD bring us to our senses to finally UNITED. We are great people and I write this note is the hopes that one day Ntate Nelson Mandela’s dream may finally come true.

      September 14, 2012 at 10:01 am | Reply
  2. xour

    Ok let me see you hold your hand like a GUN then in stead of singing KILL THE BOER you say KISS THE BOER. Now dumb has a face.!!

    September 12, 2012 at 12:37 am | Reply
    • kolobe

      fact of the matter is white south africans are more famous for being racists than anything else

      September 12, 2012 at 4:40 pm | Reply
      • B.R.A.S.H

        That is only because people whined, Americans were also and still are racist to this very day, but the only issue is, S.A blacks don't stop reliving the past

        September 13, 2012 at 9:27 am |
      • Maurice

        No, in actual fact we are more famous for our hard work, ground breaking research and innovative work like the first heart transplant and isolating HIV, engineering the largest social uplifting of black people on the African continent, building the largest and only industralised economy in Africa, founding member of the United Nations, first people to be sent to death camps (British concentration camps, the Jews will face the same fate 40 years later by the Nazis), never committed genocide to our native people ( for example where have all the Indians in America gone to?, where have all the Aboriginal people in Australie gone to?, today there are almost 50 million black people in South Africa). No we are not racists, we are being murdered and unfairly bad mouthed. We have good and bad in us, no different than any other people. I find your comment racist.

        September 15, 2012 at 8:34 am |
      • jeff

        And as we all know Kolobe, only white people can be racists

        September 16, 2012 at 11:04 am |
  3. Pierre

    As Hendrik said, Malema lives a very wealthy, lavish life. He has income far above many, many South Africans, yet does he ever use any of his wealth to do good for his 'fellow man'? His involvement in the controversial is only so that he will be noticed in the world – he loves attention. Other than that, he really wouldn't care what happened to the miners. The more attention we give to him, the more power he has!

    September 12, 2012 at 1:43 am | Reply
    • Justin

      @Hendrik and Pierre, what 'wealth' are you referring to? Driving a car and having a home? You must be joking! And how can you help the poor if you are poor yourself? Please, try seeing thing as objective as possible and maybe, just maybe, Malema will not be such a threat to you. *Disgusted

      September 12, 2012 at 2:44 am | Reply
      • Martin

        I don't know what rock you live under boet (probably not a South African Rock), but Malema is a thief, he has fraud charges coming up against him soon and will hopefully be thrown in prison. He is causing chaos in South Africa and preys on the poor to get fame and consolidate himself politically. His current stunt with the miners will result in many of them losing their jobs and our economy being held to ransom. There is nothing good about him. He deserves to rot in hell.

        September 12, 2012 at 3:03 am |
      • Stanton

        @Justin, he is definitely not poor, he also got corrupt tenders in his home province of Limpopo worth billions for a contract lasting some years. That's why he is being investigated. The guy brags about his watch collection which one pair cost like about R35k. He had mulitmillion rand house tore down in a leafy suburb of Gauteng to build a new house worth Millions dude.
        This guy doesnt care about the people, I am the people and I know he is just in it for himself, he is really a detrement to society and our people and I'm not white dude. He was suppose to earn R20k a month but lived a lifestyle of a millionaire, I get that money and I cant afford that lifestyle. He is as corrupt as they get, with all his dealings that have come to light, read up on it before you comment ok. South African and you are clearly not.

        September 12, 2012 at 4:29 am |
      • anna

        Please do not comment on an issue you have no idea about. In South Africa owning a car, is almost considered a luxury..this is above the average. All people in South Africa have equal oppurtunity for a better life, or rather because of BEE the black people have more opportunity, as they are considered previously disadvantaged, and when applying for a job they normally will receive the job even if they are less qualified than the white person applying. Check out the latest Woolworths controversy, where they clearly stat that only black people may apply.
        Instead of trying to work for their daily bread, they are living off the taxpayers money, and demanding more and more. Taxpayers in South Africa consist of 20% of the nation paying for 80% of the poor.. Read up on the facts.

        September 12, 2012 at 4:34 am |
      • Badger

        @ Justin.

        "You have no clue my boy, absolutely NO CLUE.

        So until such time you know what you are speaking about, rather STFU !!!!

        September 12, 2012 at 5:56 am |
      • Nick

        @Justin. Rather keep quiet cos you sound ignorant.

        September 12, 2012 at 7:57 am |
      • UncleBob

        Justin – what planet you living on bud? You obvioulsy don't have a clue about Malema, you retard. He's a racist pig and only using this to get back in power because he just recently got his bum smacked by his own party like a little naughty boy. He's a fat racist pig and he's as rich as anything. I'm sure you didn't even see how he spoke to that BBC reporter as well, now that's disgusting. Go eat your bigmac and rather keep quiet, you fool.

        September 12, 2012 at 4:04 pm |
      • B.R.A.S.H

        @ Justin, you are so clueless, just because he says he is poor, you believe him, he doesn't care about you or any other poor person, he only cares about himself, he has a lavish lifestyle maybe you need to go do your research..... seriously your a sheep not a member of anything

        September 13, 2012 at 9:30 am |
      • jeff

        Oh Justin, how wrong you are, lets se how you would feel about him if his actions had any affect on your closeted life

        September 16, 2012 at 10:59 am |
    • Dom Ban

      look here you can get more details about this http://www.jbs-crusher.com/

      September 12, 2012 at 4:37 am | Reply
  4. Haroun Kola

    The way that mass media continues to turn the spotlight on Malema, when they could easily ignore him, is interesting and makes me wonder why he gets to be on the national agenda...

    September 12, 2012 at 1:59 am | Reply
  5. Brial

    I like what Malema stand for, I mighty not agree with everything He does, but who must live the lavish life, only whites, who must drive Landrover and who must stay in sandton inly whites, Its time that all the resources are majority owned by the majority.

    September 12, 2012 at 2:31 am | Reply
    • Britt

      Really Brial ?? I think you need to wash the sleep from your eyes. Malema himself lives a life of luxury , most of his money acquired through ill gotten gain ! You obviously know very little about economics and I suggest to recheck your stats as to how many blacks live in Sandton and drive luxury cars.South Africa as a nation has lost a staggering R385 billion since 1994 due to corruption at every level in government . President Jacob Zuma's perks and privileges cost more than R103 million of taxpayers' money a year. So wise up dude ! This has absolutely nothing to do with ' whites" Our resources are in the governments black hands !

      September 12, 2012 at 3:00 am | Reply
      • Bruce

        How much was lost due corruption in the apartheid ?

        Bruce

        September 12, 2012 at 4:02 am |
      • Danny

        Come on Britt, we all know that the wealth of S.A. is in the hands of the whites and they would do everything in their power to keep it like that. However there are corruption issues that need to be dealt with in government.

        The mining issue has been a time bomb for a while. Maybe to easily convince the miners we need to tell the miners how much profits the mines are making and how much the miners are earning globally. However I doubt the miners will be happy after hearing the report.

        September 12, 2012 at 4:38 am |
    • anna

      @ Brial. Are you crazy? I live in Gauteng, and every time i see a brand new Merc or BMW, it is 9/10 a black owner!! This is ridiculous. if we divide the resources among all the people, how much do you think will be left? Considering all the people from across Africa streaming into RSA. Please, i am a white person, and i dont get a cent from the resources that are mined.. nor do i demand it! i work for my money, and pay my taxes (Which are ridiculously high).

      September 12, 2012 at 4:38 am | Reply
      • Mpho

        Look at a White Complaining about other Africans coming to South Africa. You want to brain wash here too. You dominated Europe and America. And want us to send our own brothers away. We should have sent all you whites away too after the end of White rule in 1994. But As peace loving African we allowed you all to stay. What i want to ask you is did your fore fathers came with Land when the came to Africa first

        September 12, 2012 at 8:14 am |
      • B.R.A.S.H

        @ Mpho, please get of your high horse, back in the day you were not "all forgiving" you were barbaric, shaka hated ALL blacks excluding zulu's if he had his way he would have wiped out every other tribe. if you hate us SO much, then stop wearing western clothes, stop driving the cars we brought here, and stop using the technology we brought into S.A...... oh wait it only suits you to hate us when its convenient.....chop

        September 13, 2012 at 9:34 am |
    • Woody

      Resources shouldn't be controlled by the majority, or it will be used, abused and squandered. Control needs to be there and when i mean control it means leaving it the way it is. The Lonmin mine issue is not what it seems. The workers get more than R4500 a month. They get full Pension, Medical and transport to and from work. They want more money in their hands. I can pay my staff today and tomorrow they have drawn all that money out of their bank account, because they want to feel it in their hands. This strike is all about a plan, it's all about Malema wanting the mines...Not for you and me to be enriched by nationalisation.....it's for those in Parliament and i laugh because the masses are fooled.

      September 12, 2012 at 5:38 am | Reply
    • jeff

      oh, like in North Korea?

      September 16, 2012 at 11:01 am | Reply
  6. Madison

    "...live in squalor – often without running water, electricity or proper toilets." Yet when the government initially came up with the RDP housing policy, the ANCYL weren't satisfied and residents burned and vandalized the houses instead. I understand that there are certain criteria's involved to qualify for a RDP house, but as stated above, the $400 USD they earn a month is more than sufficient to qualify for a housing subsidy.

    http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/we-don-t-want-rdp-houses-ancyl-1.1370788
    http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/RDP-houses-to-bona-fide-citizens-20111019
    http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/eastern-highveld/eastern-highveld-news-crime?oid=5620107&sn=Detail&pid=4980144&-eMbalenhle-residents-burn-RDP-houses

    September 12, 2012 at 2:36 am | Reply
  7. Swini

    I am a South African and I am not black nor white. Most south africans believe that everything must be handed to them on a plate without working for it while the minority work and support the masses through government taxes. The Country was doing fine until Malema came into the picture. Our government is making progress and the progress is not being publicised as much as it should be.

    People who cannot see Malema for what he is must be blind. I think somehow Malema needs to be banished from this beautiful country.

    September 12, 2012 at 2:37 am | Reply
    • MG_Slang

      "while the minority work and support the masses through government taxes" Pay attention!
      This is exactly what we don't what in S.A. Everyone should be given equal opportunities. The masses want to do things them self, they don't want hand outs. No one assigned that to be a job of the minority, they are being asked everyday to allow the masses to work and support them selves.

      September 12, 2012 at 4:28 am | Reply
      • Nick

        @MG Slang. Your mind might be "clear", but if you lost a brain cell you would probably bark.

        September 12, 2012 at 8:05 am |
    • Dom Ban

      visit http://www.jbs-crusher.com for more details

      September 12, 2012 at 4:35 am | Reply
    • Blom

      MG Slang, you do not know what you are talking about, no wonder you like Malema. By law, whites are discriminated against in SA, jobs (since 1996) are only reserved for blacks while educated whites are sitting at home, the whole goverment is black, all the tax money goes to blacks and all the tenders goes to black companies. The state cannot create a education system that works, today is 11 Sept, they are still struggling to get books to schools (From January). We still have schools today that have not reveived school books for 2012. Blacks are in charge of SA, stop blaming white people for everything, it won't get you anywhere. If you want uplift youself you have to work hard, stop smoking weed and drinking beer and blaming others.

      September 12, 2012 at 5:09 am | Reply
      • MG_Slang

        How am I blaming white for anything?
        The government is black? Do you mean they have more black people in the government? Because the last time I checked Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, etc... is white.
        All the tax money goes to South Africans, black, white, etc...
        “Blacks are in charge of SA” The persons that runs the economy is the one in power.
        I work hard, and never smoked weed, I don't even drink beer, that's why I'm responding with facts coming from a clear mind!

        September 12, 2012 at 5:47 am |
  8. Marlene

    He was the king maker with Zuma four years ago and it was he who instigated the ousting of president Mbeki and getting Zuma the presidency . Now the friendship has soured and again he is trying to oust Zuma . He knows he doesn't have the ANC delegations vote so he is trying to destabilize the country to to force Zuma out of the presidency ! Today in the newspapers I read that he is going to start on the military .

    September 12, 2012 at 2:41 am | Reply
  9. ooops

    http://www.polity.org.za/article/sa-fw-de-klerk-address-by-the-former-president-of-south-africa-during-the-barry-streek-lecture-on-the-struggle-for-equality-cape-town-press-club-cape-town-06092012-2012-09-06

    September 12, 2012 at 3:12 am | Reply
  10. ooops

    This story is replete with inaccuracies. The worst error is that the miners are paid $400, they are paid $2000 a month on ppp basis, higher than the average wage in Poland, twice as high as Malaysian miners. The people who live in squalor are not the miners but the unemployed desperate to get jobs on the mines. Check the reference above.

    September 12, 2012 at 3:19 am | Reply
    • MG_Slang

      The mines pay "Rock drillers" $400, those are the people who don't have any education. And they are the same people who are busy with the Strikes. Permanent and educated employees get paid -+$2000. Get your facts right before you make a comment.

      September 12, 2012 at 4:36 am | Reply
  11. Mark Crozier

    What an irritating insect this man is... Malema has no right to speak for anyone. He's not a member of the ANC, he's not a member of anything. He had delusions of grandeur and imagines that he represents the poor, whereas in truth he is nothing but a symbol of all that is wrong with the new dispensation.

    This is now a country where you can get ahead purely on your political connections, having zero skills or qualifications yet still able to earn millions ripping off the state through the broken tender system, aided by misguided BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) regulations.

    As to the miners, the bottom line is this is an illegal strike and their employers would be perfectly within their legal rights to fire them all. They will then quickly find out just how tough life can be. Especially when there will be four or five or ten applicants for every vacant position before the ink is dry on the pink slip. There is a glut of unskilled labour in South Africa, that is why the pay is low. Supply and demand dictates the rate of pay, as it does in every free market system.

    Of course the still strong communist element in SA wants the 'free' part to be removed and to be able to dictate what companies must pay their workers. Which will remove any motivation to go into business in the first place and quickly bring this country to ruin. The state cannot run the mines. They have shown they cannot run anything successfully. This is simply a battle between communist and capitalist. Unfortunately the reds here are incapable of learning from the mistakes of others. They are idealistic enough to think that the communist system will work here, despite it having failed everywhere else.

    September 12, 2012 at 3:24 am | Reply
    • Grant

      SA is already a communist state, we are officialy the wellfare capital of the world with over 80% of our country surviving off social grants. There are just over 10% of tax payers in SA and with the amount of corruption going around, how sustainable is our economy? The cANCer cannot continue to blame whites for the countrys woes.

      September 12, 2012 at 10:13 am | Reply
  12. Zandi Zondi

    I am young black South African woman and I totally disagree with Malema's views. He is an opportunist who is using poor black people for his own agenda. He lives in the most expensive suburb, drives a Range Rover, has a butler and claims to be poor. In SA a poor south african lives in an informal settlement walk to look for a job; it's the first time that a poor person drives a Range Rover or is he insulting those who r in need.

    Black people blame government for everything that happens to them; a person drops out of school and he'll say "government promised this & that"; a person gets fired at work for absenteeism, misconduct, theft etc and blames government; you employ a South African woman to assist you at home bring her to Joburg and she'll leave only after a month and tell you that her grant money will be stopped if she doesn't go collect it in KZN. And who will be blamed? "Government". It's a pity "government" took away your ability to think when we got our freedom in 1994.

    Whether Zuma is elected or not in Mangaung he will for the rest of his life leave a luxury life so it does not change anything; Malema stop destabilising the country and find yourself a job. Right now there are families who sleep without food because those miners are currently on an illegally strike while your are lounging in the comfort of your Sandton home. I'm not disputing that people should be remunerated accordingly but Julius Malema should leave the matter to the people who went to school and studied and know what are effects of increasing or not increasing those workers salaries.

    September 12, 2012 at 3:31 am | Reply
    • MG_Slang

      Zandi ungakhulumi into ongayazi! You probably never work for anything in your life. Malema might be guilty of a couple of things, but the points he raises are this which are on the ANC policies. No one wants to take charge and free our people. They haven't done every thing they promised they would do. It's been 18 years but the country still has to depend on outside investment to make any progress, it's like paying your car installment and never finishing.
      The ANC it self said they want these changes to happen and Malema is just reminding them. It's a pity we have someone whose corrupt to tel the truth.

      September 12, 2012 at 4:45 am | Reply
      • Zandi Zondi

        Whatever man, all I know is that we blacks are very good in criticising and not doing things for ourselves. I've been working and paying my taxes for the past ten years. Some people I was with in tertiary r still waiting for the government to provide. I earned R18 per hour for my first job, I've worked myself up to be where I am in the 10 yrs I've been working I have managed to buy myself a house & have been an owner of 3 cars. Whether I know what I'm talking about or not, it's a fact blacks will wait for government to do things for them until Jesus comes.

        Malema has no plan or whatsoever, he is all talks and then what will happen when those people have been fired. the only thing that will happen will be a high number of unemployed people and another high rate of blacks dropping out of school, universities as there won't be anyone to provide financial support. I went to tertiary with pension money I did not wait for government to provide , today I am proud to be where I am.

        All I know is that we are going the Zimbabwe route, all that we say is that things must be shared equally why have we not been acquiring all the necessary and required skills that whites have inorder to be able to manage that wealth. But no all we have been doing it to get tenders and provide less quality jobs wherever we got those tenders and getting away with it because we've doing all the wrongs to other black people and we are used to not complaining and accepting things the way they are. Malema is corrupt and is doing whatever is doing to enrich himself111

        September 12, 2012 at 5:17 am |
      • mishka

        Zandi, thank you. instead of being destructive, you are building a better future. A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step..

        September 12, 2012 at 5:43 am |
      • MG_Slang

        Ahg! Zandi nkosiyami.
        Now I don't even think you are black.

        I am one of those people who are like you, I work hard for my things. I don't wait for the government.
        I did not have rich parents, grandparents.... I don't have a good background that exposed me to things that will help me have an advantage when applying for a job.
        If I could have he cheapest labor (almost slaves), I could be rich today. Everyone that will be born after me will never be poor too.

        The only people who are good in criticising are the ones commenting to this video. Watch the news tonight, I promise you the DA will be criticising something the ANC is doing, they never bring any new ideas and solutions. They always wait for this to go bad then they say something.

        If you stop thinking about yourself only, you will know how other people are living in S.A. Open the window and ask question at the stop sign. Try and help only one person. Not everyone thinks the same in the world and that doesn't make them inhuman.

        September 12, 2012 at 6:06 am |
  13. petermarais468

    This guy is ruining our country. Its very sad to see that he targets the most vulnerable of this country. The poor to do his work while he enriches himself. Talk about stupid!!! Ignorance!!!!

    September 12, 2012 at 3:33 am | Reply
    • MG_Slang

      How is this making Malema rich?..

      September 12, 2012 at 4:46 am | Reply
      • Mfolo

        @MG_Slang : Someone said, it is better to be quiet and thought to be ignorant (or stupid ?), than to speak out and remove all doubt. The more you say......eishhhh Bra

        September 14, 2012 at 2:46 am |
  14. Ali

    You really need to fact check your articles. People working 40 hours per week earn much much more than $400 per week. I am a univeristy graduate working for a good firm in IT and earn about $1000 per month to put it in perspective. These guys are not living in squalor.

    September 12, 2012 at 3:42 am | Reply
  15. Jan

    This man is Hitler personified! He uses Mein Kampf as his manual. People take him lightly as they portray him as a buffoon, he is clever, very clever and extremely dangerous. This is not simply postulating and positioning before Mangaung, it is about wresting the control of South Africa from the hands of the lame-duck government. He appeals to people who have nothing to lose, so he has a huge support base and targets those communities and individuals that will make South Africa ungovernable.

    September 12, 2012 at 4:13 am | Reply
    • Trespassa

      Scary isn't it? And no one notices that THAT is the real issue.
      Our goverment has become incapable to control such threats due to their own rot inside.
      Heavens forbid that man becomes our president one day – misery will be our reward for not taking action by stop giving him gaps to exploit – which he does so well!

      September 12, 2012 at 11:14 am | Reply
  16. anna

    I dont understand all this rubbish that the wealth of RSA is in the hands of the whites.. do some research, THE MINES ARE OWNED BY BLACK PEOPLE. 2 mines that are involved in the recent happenings are owned by Nelson Mandela's grandson and Pres. Zuma's nephew.. surely they are not white?

    September 12, 2012 at 4:41 am | Reply
    • MG_Slang

      You the one who should do some research! What is the ratio of unemployed white people in S.A. compared to the ratio of Black people. How many white people do you know stay in the townships? Even when the mines a owned by black people, the people right after that owner are all white (SM,GM, etc...), they use black people as front man.

      September 12, 2012 at 4:55 am | Reply
      • anna

        The ratio would be difficult to work out..seeing their are millions of blacks..and only a small number of whites.. The whites work hard to get to the top, that's why they are SM's and GM's..if the owner is black, why does he allow the whites to use him as front person, as you say? They can easily appoint a black SM or GM.. why dont they? Do you enjoy the BEE system, MG_Slang? do you like getting a job just because you are black and not based on merit? I do not know white people that live in townships, i however do know white people that are dirt poor, but they do not live in townships, as they do not get free housing, free electricity and water.. How many white people do you know that get free housing? Who do you think pays for the free housing? Malema?

        September 12, 2012 at 5:15 am |
      • Bongi

        I'm actually responding to you Anna
        "the whites work hard to get to the top", only now my dear cause you/they realize the wheel has turned. And the reason why you've never seen whites in the townships, cause those townships were meant for us slaves during your time gal'.

        Now you know what's 'dirt poor'? glad to read that, period! The free housing you talking is not even the size of your maid's, so please don't go there! Malema is not paying for the free water, electricity and the so called housing? (it doesn't make it right not to pay) but neither are you paying for us.

        You make me sick!!!! cause corruption was there even during your precious time, the difference is that it was private and there was order

        Get over yourself!

        September 12, 2012 at 9:33 am |
    • Zandi Zondi

      Anna, I am a black person and I totally agree with what u r saying. People should be hired on merits that is why many municipalities r in state they r because people are got jobs due to comradeship. By the way I work for a municipality, u spend time studying and learning the job in order to have experience only to have a person hired to be your manager not even knowing the basic computer. You work and write reports for him/her and he or she gets credit for all your work.

      September 12, 2012 at 5:23 am | Reply
      • anna

        Thanks Zandi Zondi. If everybody would be treated fairly, not based on colour this nation would thrive. there are also white people that are lazy, but the truth is, they will not keep a job if they don't do their work.. The BEE system is breaking our country, and surely it is also taking away the dignity of those black people who do want to work and create a better life for themselves and their family.

        September 12, 2012 at 5:34 am |
      • Bongi

        Ya! Yo Zandi Zondi Van der Merwe

        The same people that you work and write reports for, are the remaining flippin' white folks in your office. It was never done right from the beginning, now you want to reason with them? Forget it, not this time!

        September 12, 2012 at 9:53 am |
      • anna

        oh Bongi, im a post apartheid child, so i dont know what is 'your time gal'?.. i dont have a maid..i clean my own house and make my own food. I do pay for taxes, which is used for free housing promised by the president. im sorry you hate us so much, i love South Africa, and just wish there was less hate, and that we rather look for solutions together. I do work with black people, some of whom i have a lot of respect, because they work hard, and they also want a better future.

        September 13, 2012 at 3:21 am |
      • BarryConnory

        I'm sorry, I'm sorry for being white and for having forefathers that were part of the Apartheid years.. But... oh wait, my forefathers were never a part of that, they were missionaries coming to SA to bring education and the Word to the country, they never mistreated the people.. but I guess, nonetheless, because i am white I must say: SORRY. I truly hope that someday we will be forgiven for being white. If we won't be forgiven, then the hate will never stop.

        September 13, 2012 at 4:26 am |
  17. Sam

    If you think Malema is interested in helping the poor, you are sadly mistaken, the only person he cares about is himself!-
    He is doing all of this only because he got thrown out of the ANC and now all his "under the table" dealings are coming to light- he is inciting hatred and violence in a country that is trying to grow but because of him, it will go under!
    He preaches about how all the whites, indians and coloureds will be killed in mass numbers and South Africa will be for the blacks- is this a voice of a man who cares about building a nation??????- he needs money to finish building his million rand mansion, nothing else,- dont fool yourself into believing he cares about you!- he needs to stopped ! now!

    September 12, 2012 at 4:45 am | Reply
  18. Janet Driscoll

    This site has a good explanation of why these problems are happening in South Africa:
    http://www.marikana-truth.com

    September 12, 2012 at 4:58 am | Reply
  19. Jacques Malaprade

    @Brian and all those agreeing with Malema. I suppose you live in UK/Europe/US and have a pension tied to the stock exchange. LONMIN is a London based mining company. Your pension is likely tied to platinum mining in SA. You are benefitting the most from their so called "low wages", not white South Africans who can't afford a pension. Get your facts right....

    September 12, 2012 at 5:05 am | Reply
  20. Touch

    Dont hate the player hate the game! YOLO

    September 12, 2012 at 5:13 am | Reply
  21. Nombuyiselo Ntambo

    I am also a black young south african, although Malema's reasons for being involved in these issues are not geniune,he does raise valid points. A lot of black south africans are struggling while our white counterparts are living well.

    September 12, 2012 at 5:20 am | Reply
    • martyn

      Hi Nombuyiselo

      As a South African who loves his country I would like to point out to you that the whites are doing worse financially now than you think.
      Please go look at the statistics at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19402353

      What you must also remember is that whites pay taxes, whilst most black people do not.

      This may not make any difference to you but in the greater scheme of things this pays for roads, electricity and certain municipalities. The very structure of a functioning society.
      It is not the whites who are the problem, it is the government who squanders what could be your money on big houses for themselves, cars, overseas trips and fraud and financial incompetence (ESKOM) Where do you think the money goes when certain municipalities cannot provide services anymore?
      Also South African society has a large informal sector who do not pay taxes- how would you explain to the lady down the road that she must pay taxes on her tomatoes that she is selling? Do not blame the whites for all your problems please we are paying taxes in place of that lady down the street.
      The majority of whites create jobs not destroy them. Ask any maid who is working in any house what she would do without a job- given to her by a white person?

      I hope this enlightens you a little bit.

      Martyn

      September 12, 2012 at 8:44 am | Reply
      • Nombuyiselo Ntambo

        Hi Martyn I am not blaming white people for our problems, I am stating facts, I have cousins and reletaves that are struggling, are you doing anything to help anyone around you , chances are your not. As much as our goverment is problem we as a society are a problem all we care about self is enrichment, and we look down on those who are not doing as well as us.I work in a white enviroment no matter what you say the people around me only care about themselves and think they deserve better that people they think is an inferior race. The are those who are not like that but most of them are. You probably do not care about the millions of south africans struggling and probably do know anybody who has to go to bed hungry.

        September 12, 2012 at 9:38 am |
      • MG_Slang

        Everyone who has a job and a taxable salary pays their tax in S.A. not only white people pay tax.

        "whites create jobs" Why is it still only whites that create jobs in S.A., Malema is also saying ; by now black people should also be able to create jobs.

        September 12, 2012 at 9:41 am |
    • MG_Slang

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUI3RT5PGmdi1KVp9FG_CneA&feature=player_detailpage&v=TGx1Ak4u3KE

      September 12, 2012 at 9:12 am | Reply
      • MG_Slang

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TGx1Ak4u3KE

        September 12, 2012 at 9:16 am |
    • 3Ilogik

      You Speak The Truth ! They should not work one day in those mines and they should KICK THOSE DEVIL'S OUT OF AFRICA ! IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE and SHOULD be GOVERNED by The People.....NO EXCEPTIONS !

      September 12, 2012 at 9:15 am | Reply
  22. lawerence

    Hi i think Malema is the future of Africa. Zuma and his henchmen failed to protect the rights of the mine workers let Malema represent there rights or is it because he speaks truth to power that makes them so afraid.

    September 12, 2012 at 5:23 am | Reply
  23. MG_Slang

    http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/How-Mandela-sold-out-blacks-20120717

    September 12, 2012 at 5:25 am | Reply
  24. Anton

    Interresting information on farmmurders and politics in South Africa go http://links.causes.com/s/clDQwA?r=C7x1
    What makes me sad, is that these farmers are the food providers of the country, and they are tortured,raped, burned,shot ,mutelated while alive,chained and towed behind their own vehicles untill death,ambushed when they return from church on a Sunday, and shot randomly without any regret.In most of the cases nothing is stolen which proofs that each murder can be seen as a hit by some unkown force.Why does the goverment turn a blind eye?

    September 12, 2012 at 6:02 am | Reply
    • Bongi

      Food providers are the people WORKING OR EXPLOITED in the farms, not farmers! Calm yourself!

      September 12, 2012 at 9:38 am | Reply
  25. Anton

    I think that Malema has got no right to promote farmer killings when he organizes strikes at SA mines.He should be charged with treason and brought to justice at the Hague for crimes committed against humanity.His slogans and hate songs are causing more polirisation amongst the races in SA.Over 3000 farmers had been murdered since 1994. I see that the farmers will soon take law in their own hands to protect themselves.I think they had enough now.

    September 12, 2012 at 6:15 am | Reply
  26. Neil Parker

    Oh well done CNN – promote the next in a sorry litany of tinpot African dictators. Malema's stated intent is to take us all the way down Zimbabwe Avenue – he is just a puppet of the Harare regime.. If some radical started promoting making the US economy 'ungovernable' would CNN splash his views all over the world stage ? Unlike Zimbabwe (which could somehow survive off SA's charity) there will be no-one to turn to when the farms and mines are wrecked here as they have been there.

    September 12, 2012 at 6:29 am | Reply
  27. White girl

    White people in South Africa need to WAKE UP and get prepared for Civil War, war on the whites this is what its all leading up to. "Kill the Boer" has already started over 4000 framers have been murdered in South Africa since 2000, they want what you have and for free and they are coming. Get your weapons, family and friends and get organized no one is coming to help South Africa........its sad but true and its started.

    September 12, 2012 at 6:33 am | Reply
    • 3Ilogik

      You don't belong there ! I hope they kick all you out ! Nobody needs you there, all your people have ever done is oppress. GET THE HELL OUT ! This Crap would not be tolerated in other countries like China, they would have been kicked your @$$ out ! Go back to Europe ! your talking about fighting these people for THEIR Land ! This is BullS**t ! There is no hope for The Devil !

      September 12, 2012 at 9:09 am | Reply
      • Bongi

        Big ups! to you 311ogik

        They must actually go back to the sea! Little 'WHITE GIRL' talk about war, if she only knew what it means!

        September 12, 2012 at 9:44 am |
      • Hannes

        Afrikaners know a lot about war ,we fought the British empire, we kicked the Zulus a!"" at blood river and we fought the war against terrorist in Namibia , get your fact straight we will kick your a!!' again.

        September 12, 2012 at 10:54 am |
      • 3Ilogik

        It's a New day Hannes ! The only one who's gonna get their @$$ kicked is YOU and YOUR kind ! Bring your punk @$$ !

        September 12, 2012 at 12:47 pm |
    • Trespassa

      Shush! You may reveal your IQ by accident!

      September 12, 2012 at 12:46 pm | Reply
      • Trespassa

        I'm looking at you, white girl

        September 12, 2012 at 1:08 pm |
  28. KILL THE BOER ?

    A boer is a person who is white – A farmer is a boer and most are white. Kill was changed to KISS but the meaning is still the same. Due to him singing this song as well as the President Zuma singing KILL THE BOER – Genocide Watch's Dr Stanton moved South Africa to stage 6 of genocide. The court told him it was hate speak. He lied to Christiane. He is a political opportunist.

    He has not worked on day in his life or received a payslip. Yet he is a multi millionaire due to tender fraud.

    He broke down a house of $500 000 to build a house of $2 000 000 on the land. The majority lives in slums and shacks. In his hometown they use the bucket system for toilets. In his home province kids have not received schoolbooks yet for the past 9 months. Billions where spend but the books where never delivered. The Youth League could not be bothered.

    September 12, 2012 at 6:38 am | Reply
    • 3Ilogik

      He should have manned up to it ! Nobody respect a COWARD ! Kiss The Boer ?! Kiss my @$$ !

      September 12, 2012 at 9:11 am | Reply
      • Trespassa

        Tsk tsk. Angry little boy... You remind me of those foul mouthed pre-teens on x-box multiplayer games.

        September 12, 2012 at 11:36 am |
      • 3Ilogik

        Trespasser is exactly what you are ! Exactly !...Look Sweetie...All that talk doesn't work Here ! I fear NOTHING ! especially A PINKTOE ! And you'll so find out NOBODY else fears PINKTOES either. Right now it sucks to be a PINKTOE ! EVERYBODY on The PLANET HATES YOU !!!!! You PINKTOES READY TO FIGHT THE WORLD HUH ? NOW who's playing games.

        September 12, 2012 at 12:56 pm |
  29. diana_ZA

    18 years passed and they still blame the whites? You NEED to wake up people, how apartheid might have touched your lives if majority of you were teenagers when it had ended? Or not even born? Looks like you need this excuse as bad as air to breathe to justify yourselves for putting wrong government into power. You still believe old nonsense that all white people are extremely rich? Then how you explain the phenomena of Krugersdorp squatter camp? Or increasing amount of "rich white b@stards" begging along the roads? Do some research and find out how many white highly qualified people in their mid-40ties are sitting unemployed? Anyhow i think whatever i try to say doesnt make much sense to you. Just think forward a bit, you want to support Julius Caesar-wannabe, you want to bring on the war and destruction and you think that rivers of milk and honey will flow out of you kitchen taps? Lets imagine your wildest dreams came true and there's no single white person in the country, but now you facing the it lying in ruins, infrastructure is wiped out, communications blasted, agriculture destroyed. Even mines you're accenting on so much will be ungoverned and therefore absolutely impotent to continue the extraction. Who is going to fix things and bring them to order? Oh i can assume i know the answer but then take a free advise, start learning some chinese.

    September 12, 2012 at 7:19 am | Reply
    • 3Ilogik

      Blacks would rebuild if all of Whites were gone ! The assumptions that Blacks wouldn't be able to do anything after Whites is a racsist Fantasy. Firstly Blacks would begin to heal from it's 400 some years of Systematic Oppression and stop thinking like The Devil which has kept all of The People OUT OF THEIR MINDS ! The Earth would heal because The Devil is no longer poisoning it ! The Indiginous doesn't care if Whites believe if they could succeed or not, Their opinion no longer matters. Whatever problems that exist amongst Blacks can be worked out by OURSELVES ALONE. We don't need Whites and We need to stop thinking We do.

      September 12, 2012 at 9:29 am | Reply
  30. Veee

    I'm a South African and I don't like the current situation in my country but I think the demands by the striking workers are legitimate, Malema might be an opportunist but so far he has been a voice of the voiceless.... this companies has been exploiting poor and vulnerable black South Africans for ages and its about time they start caring for their employees by paying them a living salary. with the standard of living this high what do you expect a person to do with a R4000 a month? Yes majority of the ANC leaders own shares in this mining companies and they will never act to resolve the situations because they are board members..... Malema sew the opportunity and grabs it! we don't have strong leadership in South Africa and this is the proof!

    September 12, 2012 at 7:50 am | Reply
  31. Cobus

    I am as Afrikaans and White as you come. Mr Malema's arch enemy. How about we talk facts. I earned a good Salary in SA but I could not afford a house in Sandton or drive a Range Rover. I could not spend thousands on watches and parties yet he can and does so often. Where is his regard to share the riches of this country with his fellow man. All he cares about is himself. Power corrupts people and he is a classical example.

    He is going to the uneducated masses and inciting them with his beliefs yet he goes home to a fancy house while they still sleep on a cold floor in a shack.

    Taking on the Government he once swore to kill for has been a dramitic U turn and all because they shut him out of the cookie cupboard.

    Saying things like making a City ungonvernable and singing kill the boer he has lost all moral high ground. He is a joke and SA will be better withouth him.

    I do agree that miners, police and teachers should be given more in terms of Salary and Benifits to make our country stronger and perhaps bring to the fore stronger leaders than we have today.

    September 12, 2012 at 7:58 am | Reply
  32. martyn

    As a South African I would like to point out the following:
    What the foreign press seems to forget or is not well informed on/or that the miners conveniently leave out is that these miners receive financial perks OUTSIDE of their salaries. these strikes were started by a union intent on making a name for itself and accruing members. Members = financial rewards.
    As far as it goes with Malema, he fits himself into whichever part of society has a vacuum, whether it be the miners or the soldiers.
    What begs to be asked is which Western country would tolerate such an individual in their own country – I doubt many.

    September 12, 2012 at 8:29 am | Reply
  33. 3Ilogik

    This is BS ! He should have said KILL the BULL ! This man is a coward ! And They should not work one day in those mines. In fact they should kick The Oppressors OUT ! Those mines and lands belongs to The Indiginous Peoples of Africa and not to be shared with anyone ! Malema sounds like a puppet ! He wasn't very strong in this interview with this interviewer , in fact She sort of dictated him. Malema looks weak ! Damn if they get upset because Africans are Angry and ready to take The Oppressors Head ! BE MAN ENOUGH TO SAY IT OR GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY !

    September 12, 2012 at 8:47 am | Reply
    • Troubled21yrold

      you are just a plain racist!!!!!! And so are a lot of people who have commented here. I against my better judgment still hope for a country were people can converse as intellectuals and clash on real issues and stop pulling the race card at every opportunity.Im black AND female but truth is truth is boss. BUT LET ME BREAK IT DOWN FOR YA:
      1) The problem is not that we are black or white,the problem is the system that governs the world
      2) The miners are not going to get a 200% raise not in a country that is a free market economy anyway,so they might as well get back to work-or overthrow capatilism-which is NOT going to happen
      3)nationalising mines is not going to work either at least not when malema is the one who is going to be running them on SA's behalf
      4)Malema is bloody capatalist who is exploiting the layman with socialist nonsense-and you are a victim boet
      And no I'm not capatalist nor a communist or a socialist

      September 12, 2012 at 10:22 am | Reply
  34. Troubled21yrold

    I am a black female student and I truly believe that this issue is not about being black or white,this is not about race.The main issue surrounding this whole debacle or should I say the cause of it is the free market system,its failing so bad ,the economic meltdown and the euro crisis are perfect encapsulations of what has gone wrong here in SA.The neoliberal economic policies with which the government governs the country makes sure that the government sabotages its own efforts. Of course it would help if our government actually did its job and was not so damn corrupt but the trickle down effect of the supposedly self efficient(TINA-there is no alternative) free market is not working so well.And as long as it still governs world economics the world(SA is only but a small piece in a gigantic pie mess) the wealth disparities which exist in SA will only worsen,they were bad at the fall of apartheid but it has worsned because of goverments choice to try to reinstate SA economy into a world market by choosing to adopt neoliberal macro-economic policies which go against its objectives to unite the country by bridging wealth inequalities because these policies ensure that the very opposite happens.
    What is happening here in SA are only symptoms of a larger much bigger global crisis. The miners might not be particularly educated but they have definitely recognised that the "factors of production will be paid what their worth" gibberish of the free market system is nothing but that -gibberish,in reality factors of production are paid what the major players in the sysytem think they are worth. I am not advocating the communist policies be adopted either,Im just merely making an observation.
    However I do believe that their cause is a lost one because the are not going to get a raise at least not the one they are demanding. If they do then every mine worker in the country will demand it,then next the teachers will go on strike and I kinda guess you see where I am going with this. they might as well overthrow the capatalist system. Its a pity that ,that buffon called malema is using them to meet his own ends-lord he is a disgrace to this country.
    As for me personally, I have not even graduated from university and I dread going out into the working world but I don't plan on going nowhere either not the US or the UK -everywhere is pretty much the same-what a mess the current adult generation has made of things but I against my better judgement still believe that there is hope for the world yet. How else am I supposed to stop myself from jumping over a cliff?

    September 12, 2012 at 9:00 am | Reply
    • 3Ilogik

      WE do not need Whites, American Blacks should have Our own Country, We should get out of this Masochistic Relationship. All Blacks around The Globe should Unite under One with Africa as The Foundation. We should save Haiti...Rwanda...The Women of The Congo...The Disenfranchised Georgians and Mississippians who got Jacked from Education. We need to Educate Ourselves. This is The Way.

      September 12, 2012 at 10:02 am | Reply
      • Hannes

        Come back to Africa , come live here for a month or two. You live in luxury in America . You will not survive a day in Africa.hypocrite

        September 12, 2012 at 11:55 am |
      • spartaniz

        You're a sad and stupid man.

        September 12, 2012 at 2:14 pm |
      • 3Ilogik

        If I came to Africa I would live amongst The Dogon and study with Shaman. Hannes you don't know me. As for spartaniz, you can Die out like The Spartans.

        September 13, 2012 at 8:31 am |
  35. Nombuyiselo Ntambo

    Although I know and understand that apartheid is over the is no compassion for those who went through it, let me explain in laymen terms what apartheid was, It is like someone coming to your house that you live in and kicking you out of it, you live in a granny flat they take your house, you end up being a servant in your own house.Just imagine if this happened to you.

    September 12, 2012 at 9:44 am | Reply
  36. Nombuyiselo Ntambo

    I don't support Malema or any politician, but we are living in a selfish society.

    September 12, 2012 at 9:54 am | Reply
    • jeff

      well said, if only a few more people had this insight, and if only there were politicians out there who really cared about serving the people and not serving themselves. If I thought for one minute Melema was interested in helping the poor I would join him, but sadly he is simply just interested in serving himself

      September 16, 2012 at 11:15 am | Reply
  37. Richard G

    What a buffon, he wants all workers and non-employed to get what is theirs , for "FREE" ? I work hard to get my money , on what planet is he living ? . Malema wants to get in power to take more money for himself , no one else but for himself .The whole issue for the miners is that they want over 200 % increase ,, in what economy would that ever work ?
    as for the workers , generally they have onsite accomodation and free food, if they choose to live away that is there choice . If they don't want to work for that money , quit. there are enough un-employed to take up the "spade" .

    The goverment made promices to the people and Malema stood by and helped the goverment and its leaders make those promices , now all of a sudden when he can he wants the lime light just to put down the goverment.

    September 12, 2012 at 10:03 am | Reply
    • Bongi

      No, he just want those promises delivered, too bad he's doing in it an unprofessional way and there are vultures like you judging.

      200% increase sounds unreasonable, but the mine owners have been living the lavish life long time enough for the miners to complain.

      Most of them can't just 'quit' like you've mentioned, most of them are illiterates affected by apartheid, if it make sense to you

      September 12, 2012 at 10:13 am | Reply
      • Richard G

        Apartheid ,, that was 18 years ago , It seems the only way you can justify what Malema is doing or what the goverment is doing is to blame Apartheid. ? when I started at working age I was unable to get work because of AA and BEE . I did not cry and ask for a 200 % increase or go on strike with pangas and spears , I worked hard !!! , do you get it ? if you work hard you can improve your life , but do not expect it for free

        September 12, 2012 at 10:36 am |
  38. Shawn

    Do your self a favour and google farm murders in south africa, and make your decision from what you see.

    September 12, 2012 at 10:07 am | Reply
    • Bongi

      AS IF WE CARE!!!

      September 12, 2012 at 10:15 am | Reply
      • Shawn

        You should care, no farming, no food. And where there is hunger there is war. Think about it!

        September 14, 2012 at 7:35 am |
  39. Wglibbery

    Check your facts. Your second hand information on the actual packages has long since been disproven, both by the mine management, and verified by NUM, who have a collective agreement in place for their salaries. See http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=321738&sn=Marketingweb+detail for details on their packages, which meet and exceed the packages agreed with their union.

    We appreciate that offshore news is keeping pace with the unwinding problems here, but we need good journalism, not copy and past comments from other news providers. In this case a mine which clearly has the interests of their employees at heart, is being targetted for all the wrong reason, with minority unions and fools like Malema spreading disinformation.

    September 12, 2012 at 11:34 am | Reply
  40. anna

    It is being generalised and said that all black workers were treated badly. My father was a farmer, since the 70's, he treated the workers well, they were promoted when they worked hard. He paid them their salary each month, he gave them bonuses at Christmas time. He gave them free housing, free water provision. He delivered food to them each month. He took them to town for shopping after they got their salary. He provided medical aid when there were injuries, or took them to the doctor when they were sick. He assisted with a funeral whenever a worker or a family member of theirs passed away. NOW I ASK THE QUESTION: How is this in any way bad treatment, treatment like slaves, as you say Bongi?

    September 13, 2012 at 3:39 am | Reply
  41. BadgerIsAnIdiot

    Badger is a complete Retard.
    U want apartheid back? – dmb@ss – ul be carrying a dompass asking little kids baas can I walk here? appreciate ur freedon u idiot.

    Malema is a dipshlt – he is gona fk up wht we worked so hard for.

    September 13, 2012 at 5:30 am | Reply
  42. Retard??

    Glad to see that racism is alive and well. We know why Malema will not just survive, but thrive!!

    @ Anna – Glad your father paid salaries and bonuses....but did you ever wonder why 99% of his workers were black?? Ever strike you as odd? the indiginous people are doing all the hard labour, the boss is able to buy the farm, and retire to a good life? Apartheid goes back longer than just the 1900's.

    When 5% of a population own 90% of the wealth.....you gotta wonder!

    And those saying its because ppl are lazy, and BEE is unfair. Why dont you live in a shack, walk to school barefoot, go without food for a few days, have no electricity, running water or toilets, and then try and still achieve that "A" in your Matric year, and tell me you dont desearve to be chosen for a job ahead of a private school person who aced all his subjects.

    BEE may be unfair, but its not unjust. There's a fine line....and maybe some of you will see the light and be able to tell the difference.

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