MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on South-Africa: massacre on striking miners
11.9.2012 - (2012/2783(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Bernd Posselt, Sabine Verheyen, Michael Gahler, Filip Kaczmarek, Jarosław Leszek Wałęsa, Roberta Angelilli, Philippe Boulland, Giovanni La Via, Mario Mauro, Cristian Dan Preda, Tunne Kelam, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Zuzana Roithová, Monica Luisa Macovei, Sari Essayah, Elena Băsescu, Sergio Paolo Francesco Silvestris, Alf Svensson on behalf of the PPE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0443/2012
B7‑0448/2012
European Parliament resolution on South-Africa: massacre on striking miners
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas 34 people were killed on Thursday 16 August in clashes between police and striking miners at the Marikana platinum mine, near Rustenburg, North West Province;
B. whereas this incident marked the bloodiest clash between police and protesters in post-apartheid South Africa and follows several days of violent strike action in which 10 people were killed, including two police officers hacked to death;
C. whereas television images showed police lining up and opening fire on the miners, shocking the nation and prompting headlines of “massacre”;
D. whereas Riah Phiyega, the national police commissioner, stated that shots were fired from the miners and that the police had to fire in self-defence as a mob charged towards them; whereas this incident shows the lack of skills of the SA Police Service (SAPS) in containing violent demonstrations;
E. whereas the striking miners are in a pay dispute with the mine's owner, Lonmin (a London listed platinum mining company - the world's third largest) and they have demanded that salaries be increased from 400 Euros to 1250 Euros per month;
F. whereas reports suggest that the dispute has been exacerbated by tensions between two rival trade unions, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) - a new union seeking to challenge the NUM's dominant position;
G. whereas a complex mixture of widespread social ills, volatile labour relations, intense political and union rivalry, and a variety of cultural and local ethnic factors all contributed to the unrest;
1. Condemns in the strongest possible terms the massacre of striking miners on 16 August as well as the preceding violence which also claimed the lives of two police officers;
2. Extends its deepest condolences to the families of mine and police workers of all who have lost their lives, since the beginning of this violent action;
3. Calls on the South African authorities to do everything possible to bring the situation under control and to bring the perpetrators of violence to book; welcomes in this context the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the facts;
4. Stresses the need to reform labour dispute mechanisms, whose inefficiency have often resulted in lengthy strikes with high economic costs for South Africa, discouraging foreign investment;
5. Calls for a comprehensive review of the SA Police Service rules of engagement in containing violent demonstrations, including in particular the use of live ammunition, in order to close the apparent lack of competences;
6. Recognizes the steps already taken by the South African authorities and urges them to step up their fight against poverty, inequality, unemployment and corruption which are the main sources of the socio-economic problems and tensions stifling the country's progress towards the rule of law and development;
7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU Council and Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the government and parliament of South Africa, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the PAN-African Parliament (PAP).