Trade Unions condemn killings in South Africa

Global trade unions have condemned the killing of mine workers in South Africa terming the act as a beating on African democracy. Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General, Francis Atwoli, said that the unions are stunned by the mass execution by police on innocent striking Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine workers.

According to Mr Atwoli, the workers were exercising their constitutional right by striking to demand for wage rise. “The crime these poor workers had committed was to demand what they felt they were entitled to. The action against these innocent mine workers is indeed tantamount to global impunity,” Mr Atwoli said. The unions through Mr Atwoli said that it is painful that a democratically elected government can go out on the loose and massacre people like criminals. The police violence on the workers in South Africa on Thursday resulted in the death of over 34 people, about 78 wounded and 259 detained during the week-long strike. Mr Atwoli further stated that the trade unions want South Africa president Jacob Zuma to suspend his Commissioner of Police as his Independent Commission, investigates the cause of the mass execution of workers by the police. The Trade unions that consist of International Trade Union Confederation ( ITUC) Brussels, Trade Union Federation of Eastern Africa (TUFEA) and East Africa Trade Union Confederation (EATUC) and COTU, added that the action is unacceptable and is a blow to organized labour globally.