I knew
from the start that the result would be blood shed. Kulubuse, his big house,
sudden rise to fame, the town Mayor and his so called friends from Jorburg. A
few nights before the deadly shooting at Malikana there had been a number of
happenings that were so suspicious. Andile Maphosa a security guard doing night
shift was found dead. His cause of death was not known. His wife Lerato and son
disappeared the following week after the funeral. Fifteen SUVs were seen
entering the offices of the mine. A meeting was held there behind closed doors.
Two weeks before the shooting Victor Masondo and his whole family died in a
mysterious fire. The workers union boss Innocent Dliwayo made several appearances
at the mine offices during the day and at night while five days before the
initial shootings and killing of 34 miners some government officials made
appearance as well.
Most of the miners never took notice of all this. They woke up at three in the morning kiss their wives and kids good bye and promise to see them at night. They leave their wives hoping that they remain faithful and the wives give birth to sharp nosed children in a flat nosed society. At the mines they do not see the sun or breathe fresh air. Every day they bury themselves deep under in the belly of the earth, only God can be praised for their survival this long.
Even in the belly of the earth a voice will always be heard, a rumour spread like cancer that miners were planning a major shutdown in demand for better working conditions and salary increase. They held meetings every day during lunch breaks and vowed that no one spreads the word, however even Judas walked with Jesus.
A day before the fateful day work was normal, no meeting was held and the miners dismissed and went home as planned. It was the following morning that life became alive to the mine bosses at Kruger mine. The day resembled the 16th of June 1976 the difference being it was the black man against the greedy black. I saw Kulubuse, he was a scared man. Several SUVs again made an entrance then a number of phone calls and Shongwe leader of the striking miners stood to present their petition to the miners’ bosses. It was Kulubuse the mediator. A good six hours passed without any response then a convoy of police vehicles made its way to where the miners where gathered. Peace was still however as the norm the miners continued singing for once in their lives they enjoyed a day of fresh air and sunlight.
I stood from a distance and watched all the events unfold until 3:30pm when the first bullet was fired. Later on 34 miners lay dead and 70 wounded. I was never part of the protest however i know the whole story of how 34 innocent miners lost their lives.
#keep reading i will keep writing.Most of the miners never took notice of all this. They woke up at three in the morning kiss their wives and kids good bye and promise to see them at night. They leave their wives hoping that they remain faithful and the wives give birth to sharp nosed children in a flat nosed society. At the mines they do not see the sun or breathe fresh air. Every day they bury themselves deep under in the belly of the earth, only God can be praised for their survival this long.
Even in the belly of the earth a voice will always be heard, a rumour spread like cancer that miners were planning a major shutdown in demand for better working conditions and salary increase. They held meetings every day during lunch breaks and vowed that no one spreads the word, however even Judas walked with Jesus.
A day before the fateful day work was normal, no meeting was held and the miners dismissed and went home as planned. It was the following morning that life became alive to the mine bosses at Kruger mine. The day resembled the 16th of June 1976 the difference being it was the black man against the greedy black. I saw Kulubuse, he was a scared man. Several SUVs again made an entrance then a number of phone calls and Shongwe leader of the striking miners stood to present their petition to the miners’ bosses. It was Kulubuse the mediator. A good six hours passed without any response then a convoy of police vehicles made its way to where the miners where gathered. Peace was still however as the norm the miners continued singing for once in their lives they enjoyed a day of fresh air and sunlight.
I stood from a distance and watched all the events unfold until 3:30pm when the first bullet was fired. Later on 34 miners lay dead and 70 wounded. I was never part of the protest however i know the whole story of how 34 innocent miners lost their lives.
written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube
a saxjaz7 production
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Disclaimer: NB content written above does not reflect or recite the happening at Marikana on the 16th of August 2012. Characters in the story are not real. This is just a story inspired by society. Keep reading.
