West
Johnny Masilela and Sechaba ka’Nkosi
President Nelson Mandela’s visit to strife- torn Rustenburg last weekend failed to attract the expected crowds after North West Premier Popo Molefe refused to let Mouthpeace Workers Union president Kaizer Mpiyakhe share his platform.
Sources say the union insisted at a meeting with Molefe two weeks ago that it be allowed to speak at the rallies, as it was also a stakeholder in the conflict. Molefe refused to budge, sources say, even after Mouthpeace leaders (with the exception of Mpiyakhe) slammed the table to drive their point home.
Molefe’s refusal is based on fear of a possible backlash from his allies in the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which has been involved in violent clashes with Mouthpeace. This week 22 Mouthpeace members were convicted on charges of public violence and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment each.
NUM officials say they were briefed on Molefe’s meeting, but maintain that they were given the impression that he would only meet their arch-foes in his capacity as premier. They were surprised to learn that the meeting took place at African National Congress headquarters.
“We are scared that the premier might be moving to a point where he would give recognition to people who are killing ANC members,” said an NUM member from Klerkdorp.
However, Molefe is planning a meeting with NUM leaders to report back on the Mouthpeace meeting. His representative, David van Wyk, says he understands NUM’s anger. “I think their reservations are based on the fact that when this whole thing [the violence] started and their members were killed, we were not active enough, even when they called us for assistance. But … we were instructed to take a back seat and leave everything with the Ministry of Labour.”
At Mandela’s rally in the village of Sifikile, a group of men gathered on a hillside overlooking the venue. According to locals, they are members of Mouthpeace who chose to observe the peace rally from a “safe” distance.
Mandela spoke to several hundred villagers and miners on an open piece of land, the majority of whom were clearly members of the ANC or NUM.
Mandela came to Sifikile – and later to Bleskop Mine – as part of his continued efforts to bring about peace between Mouthpeace and NUM.
At Sifikile and Bleskop, both villagers and miners feared the failure by Mouthpeace members to make a formal appearance did not bode well for future peace endeavours.
Sifikile’s Pius Mpudi (78) left the rally midway through Mandela’s speech. “The people from the other union should have attended,” he said, pointing at the men dotted on the side of the mountain. “Why should they watch from the distance instead of joining the rest of us in finding peace?”
Walking alongside Mpudi, his neighbour, Selina Mabe, said: “I thought President Mandela would give us an idea what the fighting is all about, because everybody is fighting but nobody knows why.”
Later in his speech at Bleskop Mine, Mandela himself seemed to ponder the cause of the violence. “I am dismayed at the continued violence on the mines in this area, where workers are divided for reasons that remain elusive,” he said.
Young mother Maria Diale came to the rally but moved into the shade of a mule cart to breastfeed her little daughter Palesa. “I have lived in Sifikile all my life and have never seen anything like this before. It is frightening. We are not used to the sound of guns here.”
The mood on the ground at the Bleskop Stadium was slightly upbeat about Mandela’s visit. “He is our president and we are certain he will bring about peace and protect us against those who are against peace,” said miner Modise Morake.