MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on South-Africa: massacre of striking miners
11.9.2012 - (2012/2783(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Judith Sargentini, Barbara Lochbihler, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Jean Lambert, Nicole Kiil-Nielsen, Catherine Grèze on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0443/2012
B7‑0445/2012
European Parliament resolution on South-Africa: massacre of striking miners
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas 34 miners were killed by the police on 16 August 2012 while protesting against low wage in Marikana, North Western Province of South Africa,
B. Whereas the South African authorities charged 270 arrested miners with murder under an apartheid-era "common purpose" law, which has provoked a national indignation and the charges were dropped,
C. Whereas the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, has been established by president Zuma to investigate the killings and whereas the South Africa's Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has also initiated an investigation over the killings,
D. Whereas The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which is allied to the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, signed a peace accord with mine owner Lonmin and the government while the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and representatives of non-unionised workers refused to sign the agreement,
E. Whereas South Africa is confronted with a number of extremely violent strikes and protests, partly due to worsening poverty, increasing social inequality, low wages, bad working conditions and poor pubic service delivery,
F. Whereas the Lonmin company is the world's third biggest producer of platinum, most of which comes from Marikana,
G. Recognising that South Africa has made tremendous progress in the field of political democracy since the end of apartheid , while little progress is observed in the field of economic Apartheid,
1 Condemns the killing of miners and the use of excessive force by the South African Police Service (SAPS),
2 Calls on the South African authorities to guarantee all victims and the families to have access to justice and to be compensated ,
3 Welcomes President Zuma's decision to establish a Commission of inquiry and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) initiative to investigate on the killings,
4 Calls on the Commission of Inquiry to investigate all the underlying factors, which led to the violent conflict, including low wages and working conditions with full transparency, independence and impartiality,
5 Calls also on the Commission of Inquiry to investigate the root cause of the excessive use of violence by the policy force and expresses its deep concern on the use of the apartheid-era "common purpose" law by the authorities,
6 Is concerned that South Africa's established social partners are loosing legitimacy among citizens, due to continuing signals of corruption and public leaders enriching themselves, leading to more social unrest,
7 Calls on all parties to respect the South African Constitution which guarantees the rights of association, assembly and freedom of expression;
8 Calls for an urgent resolution of the ongoing disputes and conflicts between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Association of Mineworkers and construction Unions (AMCU),
9 Calls on the South African authorities, the trade unions and Lonmin to continue to do their utmost to reach a swift and fair solution of the conflict and to bring lasting solution to workers demand,
10 Regrets Lonmin's failure to treat the labour dispute with the sensitivity it deserved and not to assume any responsibility, but welcomes the company's announcement not to dismiss strikers should they not go back to work, contrary to the company's previous demand;
11 Is concerned that the confrontation at Gold One Modder East mine is a sign that the labour unrest may spread to other industrial sectors, leading to a possible spread of violence;
12 Urges the South African government to address the root cause of the violence including the worrying gap between the rich and the poor, the rise of youth unemployment, working conditions of workers and their living conditions to end the economic apartheid,
13 Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Parliament and Government of South Africa, the co-presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the Pan-African Parliament and the African Union.