MASSACRE OF MINE WORKERS IN SOUTH AFRICA:

 Hold Rightwing Forces in the ANC Government Responsible!

ANC Government Should Nationalise the Mines Now!!

FG: Withdraw Soldiers from PHCN Now to Avert Massacre of Electricity Workers!!!

Press Statement

1. The Joint Action Front (JAF) condemns the gruesome murder of 34 mine workers at the Lonmin Marikana Mine by the South African bloodthirsty armed police. The incident, which also left about 100 workers seriously injured, evokes sad memories of the ignoble Apartheid South Africa.
2. We strongly hold that the Lonmin Management and the neo-liberal rightwing forces in the ANC Government in particular, should be held responsible for the terror unleashed on the miners.
3. It is unfortunate that the ANC Government whose leadership has enviable records of struggle on the side of the working people in dismantling Apartheid South Africa has been undermined by rightwing forces within its rank.
4. The genuine and pro-working people forces in the ANC have a responsibility to purge the ANC Government of the fascist and neo-liberal elements within its rank in order to avoid further damage to its credibility, and to reassure the South African workers and working people all over the world that joined forces to DEFEAT Apartheid, of its commitment to respect fundamental rights of its working people and citizens.
5. However, it should be stated that the right-wingers in the ANC Government instigated this murderous act on behalf of big businesses, thus serving the interest and greed of the super capitalists at the expense of the poor working people. Suffice to recall that Lonmin has obnoxious record of being anti-worker. For instance, in May 2011, about 9,000 workers were sacked by the company for what it described as "unprotected industrial action".
6. JAF is firmly in solidarity with the Mine workers for demanding improvement in their pays. It should be noted that Lonmin is the world 3^rd largest producer of platinum but pays the workers poverty wages. The miners who currently earn about $484 have demanded their salary to be increased to about $1,512, which is not beyond the capacity of Lonmin that prefers to dole out outrageous pays to few managers, at the gross expense of the miners who create the huge wealth for the company from the pit of the earth but live in subhuman condition in slums and shanties of Marikana - the village where the mine is located.
7. We equally condemn the profit-driven and callous mentality of the Lonmin Management who had just about 48 hours after the massacre, ordered the rest striking workers to return to work or face mass sack.
8. JAF commends the resolve by the workers to remain on strike in pursuit of their legitimate demands and therefore call on COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions), other trade unions from across the world and pro-working people organizations internationally to give unflinching support to the miners with various solidarity actions.
9. We urge COSATU, the ANC movement and democratic forces in South Africa to demand the NATIONALISATION of all the mines in South Africa and put them under the democratic control of the working people.
10. We equally demand living wage for the miners, adequate compensation to the families of those killed and injured, an end to the armed police siege of Marikana mine and respect for the democratic rights of workers, and judicial prosecution of the armed police involved in the massacre of the mine workers.
11. In the light of the South African massacre, JAF wishes to recall the deployment of soldiers to PHCN facilities since mid-November 2011 and the on-going use of soldiers to compel electricity workers at gun-point to sign the so-called SEVERANCE PACKAGE in the desperation by the FG to forcefully take-over of PHCN and hand it over to their cronies. Thus, we demand a stop to the harassment and brutality of the electricity workers and the immediate withdrawal of tanks and troops deployed against them in order to avert a repeat of the gory South African experience in Nigeria. 

DR. DIPO FASHINA                          COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU

JAF Chairperson                              JAF Secretary

FG SHOULD STOP INTIMIDATING THE ELECTRICITY WORKERS!

STOP THE PRIVATISATION OF THE PHCN NOW!!

PRESS STATEMENT

1. The attention of the Joint Action Front (JAF) has been drawn to a sponsored attack against workers in the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). In the statement made available to the JAF leadership, NUEE reported that:

“On Friday August 3, 2012 around 1230hrs, a middle aged man came to our National Secretariat claiming that he had a mail for us and on getting to our reception, he said he forgot the mail. Unknown to him that he was under surveillance, he made a call to an unknown person that he was already “there” and later entered into one of the offices with devices capable of causing explosion but before he could actualize his mission, he was overpowered by the vigilant staff on duty. On interrogation, he claimed he was looking for a toilet. The Police at the Adekunle Divisional Police Station, Yaba-Lagos was immediately contacted and the man was promptly arrested. Further interrogation by the Police has confirmed that he is not a staff of NIPOST as claimed and that his given residence was a fluke”.

2. JAF wishes to recall the spate of harassment and threat, in the past one year, on members and leadership of NUEE. We recall, in particular, the deployment of soldiers to PHCN facilities in mid-November 2011 under the guise of national security, but the real intention of the Federal Government (FG) being to forcefully take-over of PHCN and hand it over to their cronies.
3. The latest act of attack is basically aimed at intimidating the leadership of NUEE and workers in the electricity sector, who have been consistent in their resistance to the FG’s desperate agenda of privatization of the power sector.
4. JAF deplores this unwarranted attack and warns the FG and its agents to desist from such barbaric act that will further deepen the insecurity situation in the country.
5. We therefore, call on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil society group and patriots to join forces with the struggle of the Electricity workers to resist the handover of PHCN facilities to the profiteers and the ruling cabals and the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
6. JAF maintains its position that the Power Sector can be efficient if it is democratically run with the involvement of elected representatives of workers and consumers in the management of electricity. This is the only way that public resources invested in sector can translate into qualitative improvement in power generation, adequate supply and affordability.

  DR. DIPO FASHINA                     COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU

 JAF Chairperson                               JAF Secretary