Marikana – The community of Mmadithlokwa and the
surrounding areas in Marikana, in the North West, say they will forever be
grateful to government’s assistance during their difficult times.
This
after the Department of Social Development and its partners had moved in the
area assisting the locals with food parcels during the five-month strike at the
nearby Lonmin mine.
The
strike has left many families, particularly women and children, in extreme
poverty.
Madibogo
Taunyane, 36, an unemployed mother of three residing in Marikana, told SAnews,
on Sunday, that she will forever be grateful to government because of the
support she has been getting during the strike.
“I
don’t how I was going to survive if it wasn’t for government,” she said.
Taunyane’s husband was affected by the strike and as a result there was no
income in the family.
Joseph
Masha, a father of three small children, an employee at a mine, was also
affected by the strike.
“I’m
grateful to government for the support they have been offering to us. Things
were really difficult,” he said, adding that he wished government could do the
same for other communities.
To
date, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has spent more than R6
million in Marikana providing social relief to the affected families.
Speaking
in Marikana earlier today, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini said
government will continue to assist families who are in distress.
She
called on local communities to assist government identifying distressed or poor
families in their communities, adding that they were there to ensure a better
life for all.
“As
government we are there to ensure that people live a better life. We are also
here to ensure social cohesion.
“Many
things have happened here, we are here to provide families with the necessary
support and assistance. There needs to be healing in this area,” Minister
Dlamini said.
Social
Development Deputy Minister Henrietta Bogapane-Zulu also encouraged parents to
register their children for child support grants.
“We are
here to improve your lives. We also want to take care of all the orphans,” she
said.
She
echoed Minister Dlamini’s sentiments, calling on communities to assist
government by identifying poor households. “Help us to identify those that are
in need,” she said.
Minister
Dlamini visited Marikana to assess the needs of families affected by the strike
with the aim to continue providing humanitarian aid.
In his
State of the Nation Address earlier this month, President Jacob Zuma announced
the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on the Revitalisation
of Distressed Mining Communities, led by the Presidency.
The
role of the IMC is to improve the living conditions of mining communities.
Five-month
strike ends
The
five-month strike came to end, on Tuesday, with workers resuming their duties
on Wednesday.
The
president of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu),
Joseph Mathunjwa, on Monday, said a wage deal and “the bulk” of the workers’
demands had been accepted by the mining companies involved.
Amcu
accepted a wage settlement that would increase the salary of the lowest paid
worker by R1 000 over three years.
Salaries
are set to increase by R1 000 in the first two years and in the third year,
they will increase by R950.
The
salary of officials and artisans would increase by 8% in the first year and by
7.5% in the second and third year.
While
the living-out allowance will not be increased over the three-year period, other
benefits will increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Amcu
members at Lonmin, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum went on strike
on 23 January, demanding a monthly basic salary of R12 500
SOURCE
– SAnews.gov.za
BUSINESS
