MINING
New beginning for industry that has left a trail of destruction
Mine workers will have hailed Cyril Ramaphosa’s elevation to the presidency as a moment of immense pride and joy. For more than a decade, during the dark days of apartheid, he dedicated his life to the leadership of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), challenging the iniquities of the industry. Ramaphosa’s inspirational leadership imbued mine workers with the courage and self-belief to stare down the mine bosses. Mine workers have every reason to claim him as their own; a jewel whose sheen was forged in the struggle for the rights of workers and the liberation of our country. However, they will also be mindful of the fact that their Promised Land still lies ahead, as they remain in the dungeon of their workplaces. For them, the struggle for a better life continues. A multitude of mine workers continue to live in deplorable conditions while the captains of industry, the privileged, along with all sorts of dubious characters, rake in fortunes, extracting our country’s mineral res...
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