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Subscribe to RSSThe South African politician blamed for inflaming the miners' strikes there told NBC News that the treatment of the poor is worse now than it was under apartheid. Julius Malema -- expelled from the ruling African National Congress for his radical views -- says he wants to spread the chaos that left 34 miners dead. NBC's Rohit Kachroo reports.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The sky over the Marikana mine turns a murky shade. The euphoric chanting of its striking workforce begins to dim. Hail stones, the size of golf balls, pelt the crowd.
Many of the men shield their faces and race for cover underneath the corrugated iron roofs of their modest shacks, some slipping on the muddy ground as they run.
Julius Malema, the expelled youth leader of the African National Congress, had been due to address the crowd of striking platinum mine workers about their demand for higher pay. But the rally is called off because of the dreadful conditions.
It feels like only Mother Nature could have prevented the striking miners from seeing their hero.
Malema was the youth leader of South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress, until he was expelled for indiscipline. Some see him as a dangerous agitator and a threat to the country's delicate racial harmony. He was convicted of hate speech for singing a so-called "struggle song" called "Shoot the Boer," translated as "shoot the white farmer."
But he is also hailed as a mouthpiece for the boiling anger of many poor, black South Africans frustrated by the pace of progress since the birth of democracy in 1994.
Africa's Rainbow Nation troubled by racist time warp
Under apartheid, the white minority institutionalized political and economic discrimination against the black majority. This system of racial segregation was in place for nearly half a century, until Nelson Mandela's African National Congress won multiracial democratic elections 18 years ago. The party has ruled South Africa ever since.
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View images of civil rights leader Nelson Mandela, who went from anti-apartheid activist to prisoner to South Africa's first black president.
An hour's drive from the Marikana mine, at a provincial courthouse, the storm cloud has yet to strike. Here, a group of workers have just been released from prison. They parade through the streets to celebrate their liberty. They chant Malema's nickname, "JuJu," and sing derogatory songs about President Jacob Zuma as they march.
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They are among the 270 mine workers who escaped the bullets when police opened fire during a strike last month, only to then be charged with the murder of 34 of their colleagues who were killed. In one of many echoes of the past to emerge from the massacre, the men were accused under an apartheid-era law that the white minority regime once used to criminalize entire crowds of black protesters. The charges were later withdrawn.
'Murder on a massive scale': Angry fallout from S. Africa mine shootings
The freed men say they will return to the mine to demand higher wages and to protest against the way in which the wealth of South Africa's vast natural resources is carved up.
"We will shout and strike for better pay -- and for JuJu," freed miner Mishack Mzilikazi says.
'We will never retreat'
Malema has promised to make the mines of South Africa "ungovernable," unless workers are paid more.
"It is a struggle the mineworkers are prepared to die for," Malema told NBC News at his home in Johannesburg.
"We should be inspired by those comrades who were killed at Marikana to now begin to demand 12,500 (South African rand per month, or about $1,500) for each mine worker. That should serve as a source of inspiration to intensify the struggle for better salaries," he says.
Felix Dlangamandla / Gallo Images via Getty Images
Julius Malema, third from right, joins miners at a march following a memorial service held for colleagues who were killed and injured during clashes with police on August 23.
"If they respond with death, we will never retreat. We will soldier on until our demands are met," Malema says.
Police officers have been accused of torturing some of the men. The allegations sound like they could have come from the dark days of white minority rule.
"They will never kill all the mineworkers. It is not practically possible unless they are prepared to face charges of genocide," Malema told NBC News.
"For every revolution there are casualties. ... We lost many great people during the apartheid struggle," he adds.
For Malema, the strike illustrates the plight of poor, black South Africans -- the enduring "economic apartheid." He believes that many black people are worse off now, under democracy, than they were under apartheid.
"One of the white chaps was trying to make a joke to me and said, 'Had we known that it was going to be this nice for us as white South Africans, we would have fought for this democracy long before 1994,'" he says.
"The conditions for our people are worsening. The gap between the rich and the poor has widened," Malema adds.
Stark inequality
Malema, 31, has little memory of the darkest days of apartheid. But he claims to represent the rage of a generation of young black people who never experienced white minority rule, yet endure its grim legacy.
Although most people accept that "The Rainbow Nation" is a work-in-progress, many have grown tired of the slow pace of change in one of the most unequal societies in the world.
South Africa enters adulthood as 'born frees' come of age
The World Bank released a report in July that warned that slow job growth and deep economic inequality posed a threat to South Africa's stability. The country's official unemployment rate stands at 25 percent, but is believed to be much higher among young black men.
Malema believes that the nationalization of the country’s mines might be one solution to the gap between rich and poor, white and black.
Factbox: South Africa since apartheid
But many disillusioned South Africans aim their fire at the rich, black political elite as much as they do at white executives.
Malema is certainly wealthy. But he sees no contradiction in the fact that we are sat inside his designer suburban home as we discuss the plight of the poor.
"You do not have to be poor to understand the poor," he says.
Memorial services scheduled for the 34 South African platinum miners gunned down by police. The country's embattled leader, President Jacob Zuma, visited the mine, promising a full judicial enquiry while reassuring international investors that South Africa was open for business. But the price of platinum on world markets surged -- as reports suggested strikes were spreading to other mines. Inigo Gilmore, Channel 4 Europe reports.
To many of his critics, Malema represents another ghastly aspect of public life in South Africa: corruption. An inquiry into allegations of fraud and tax evasion is close to completion.
"I've never done anything wrong," he says, defending himself against constant claims in the local media.
Complete World coverage on NBCNews.com
"Let them (the prosecution authorities) bring those charges. ... Because it would give us an opportunity now to answer for ourselves, because I’ve been (tried) in the media, I've been convicted in the media, found guilty and sentenced for life for corruption. But I was never afforded an opportunity to answer for myself," Malema says.
Malema's supporters believe that political pressure is being placed upon the investigating authorities in an attempt to embarrass him.
"This is a government that likes to attack. ... Marikana has shown that. But things must change," he says.
"Violence comes with government. Government is very violent under President Zuma. It is a violent government, it is a murderous government," Malema says.
"We will not be silenced. People must have change. We want equality. We must have our country back."
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www.marikana-truth.com
This site has an interesting explanation of events.
killing white people that's not racist?????
Interesting that under apartheid, SA had one of the strongest economies in the world. Now, SA is a craphole. I'm not taking a side, I just thought it was interesting.
I'm with you Spellchecker I thought it was interesting in that after apartheid and under a democracy that some feel that the blacks are worse off now and many of the whites are much better off. Apartheid had to go but I don't think many if any saw what would be the outcome of the change.
Long live Malema !
Long live Malema !
spellchecker & gtouch, let's not forget Zimbabwe. The breadbasket of Africa, now they can't feed their own.
Um spellchecker, gtouch and julie, don't forget libya. It had the highest standard of living in africa!
Bet the Koch brothers are giving high fives right now just waiting for the day when American workers are treated like that.
Damn uppity workers, deserved to get shot trying to get better wages.
Ya know what they deserve?
What ever they earn. Just like everybody else. If your job doesn't pay what you think you deserve, then don't work there. If the work conditions suck, then go somewhere else.
Right, because that's an option for the poor blacks in south africa... idiot. You realize they get paid about $2.00 a day for horrid, dangerous work in terrible conditions, right?
Travis-1944, who's fault is that? It's easy to point the finger at the white South Africans and say this is all their fault, however that would be to completely ignore the fact that the entire continent is a third-world cesspool. Rampant corruption, famine, war and disease. If Africans don't care about their own countries or people, why the hell should I?
How's that communist ANC thing going for you South Africa?
Better than that Rich take everything while the poor do all the @!$%#ing work thing is going for the World...
No-one is forcing you to work for them Eddie. Make your own way!
Yeap, nobody is forcing you to work for the rich but try to start your own business, see how long it takes to fall apart if you even manage to get it going.
What communism?
Black South African leaders have done more to enslave and degrade their people than the white leaders ever did.
Better then living under Apartheid, Eddie. Only a penis would believe that black South Africans want to go back to those days. Time to get real leaders in office, the color should not matter.
MCR-4250086, it will not matter if they get "real" leaders, because it's still in Africa. A dump of a continent if ever there was one.
Unfortunately, since 1994, the losers have been ALL average South African citizens, black, coloured asian and white. Contrary to JM's babblings, the white population has been sidelined and excluded from the present economy, turning to their own entrepreneurial flair to make a living. It is the policies of the ruling party that have brought a once powerful African nation to the brink of ruin. Economy in tatters (the threat of Nationalisation chases foreign investment just as in Zimbabwe), education system down the toilet (140th out of 144 nations studied), health care in crisis mode and in need of resuscitation and yet the ruling elite live a life of esurient luxury at the expense of those who vote them into power, election after election. The ANC does not want an educated population because then they will start to vote with their minds and not their hearts and the ANC would be out of power like yesterday's news.
Er, can we get back to his song about "Shoot the White Farmers"? That does not make him sound like Mr. Nice Guy to me.
Thanks............now I can't get that song out of my head.
I've been to S. Africa 4 times in the past few years...............every time it's worse than the time before. The ANC is wrought with corruption and nepotism. There has already been suspicious deaths and probably sooner than you think there will be many more. Since white rule ended in 94 the country has been in a steady spiral downward. A lot like Zimbabwe experienced after they defeated white rule. Zimbabwe used to be the breadbasket of Africa.........now they can't even feed themselves and they pour into surrounding countries to survive. Harre has gone from a beautiful capital to a slum........their international airport is a dead zone compared to what it use to be.
isn't this the country that has been killing white farmers, their children and women, then hillary clinton handed them a @!$%# load of money to help the economy, i think the dem's just like giving our money away, brazil, columbia, mexico, you name it, our tax dollars go there, not here, we don't need money. hell no we don't.
Michael - 595198 - There have been republican and democratic presidents that both have helped other countries, so get your history correct.
Looks like South Africa is going the way of the rest of Africa.
Just promo\ise them "Hope and Change" idiots and the illiterate fall for that every time.
the SA version of Jeese Jackson/Al Sharpton...hope it works better for you then it did/does in the USA.what i find amazing and sad is that when the "white' farmers ran the farms they actually could export food...now the "black" run farms can't even feed themselves.didn't like what apartheid stood for but some of it had benifits to all SA....good luck for a better future
i cant believe people are endorsing white supremacy and aparthied on here scary.every democracy goes through its ups and downs,the U.S.A civil war comes to mind they have only been governing themslves for 18 yrs the good ol U.S.A. had jimcrow for nearly a 100 yrs ,give them a chance they will get it together.
They don't have a chance as long as the ANC is the sole power. They need multiple parties and a true democratic republic that will protect everyone's rights and promote a thriving economy for everyone. I pray my friend and college classmate, Thabo Fako, remains safe.
i cant believe people are endorsing white supremacy and aparthied
You haven't been in America very long or you have not been paying attention.
How many people that have left a comment here actually LIVE in the country presently? With a GLOBAL recession, a teething democracy and crap stirrers like Julius Malema (aka JuJu), it's a stark reality that there will be have nots, as in the case of the Marikana mines. Those in power are stilted as to the position they may or may not hold in the next 8 months and let me be clear, there is still serious MONEY to be made in this country! So with all these Zimbabwe wannabes - that's Zimbabwe NOT South Africa and our capital airport - JHB International Airport is one of the best in the world. But I'm not going to defend the foregone conclusions of people who want to see the country fail, and would rather open people's eyes to the reality we all are experiencing. Government cronyism is evident but not rife and with an opposing party such as the DA, vibrantly garnering numbers, I dare anyone to shoot the future of this country down as the economic arm and democratic arm is growing once again.
True, and for corruption and nepotism and the institutional consequences thereoff plus economic fallout for those not in the game look no further than our own government here. It seems that without effective oversight the same types of people gravitate/aspire to government and power, and thus what they can possibly in self service garner, be it anywhere in the world. Africa is not perculiar in that regard.
@J Gfn
I'm not being antagonistic, but I will never understand the "if you don't live there, you don't know what's going on statements." It is always used in an attempt to discredit opinions that one doesn't agree with. I am not saying that is you, but 99% of the people who do that are just shouting down others. We don't need to have lived in Germany in the 30's and 40's to know what happened and why during that time, and some folks know why SA has turned into the hell hole that it is without having lived there. Some people even predicted what would happen and when. It is quite obvious.
Nobody outside of SA needs to "shoot down the future" of the country for it to become reality. It appears as though there are plenty of people inside the border with the future firmly in their sights.
Just go to show you that people are people and that greedy corrupt politicians waste no time to take over and ruin a country. SA has an excuse, they are a new democracy in a world gone mad but, what's our excuse?
"our" excuse? who is "our" and our excuse for what? are you comparing our conditions (again whomever that is) to those of the striking miners?
ur a joke. honestly i've seen your posts for some time now; laughable
Don't know anything about south africa's politics and really don't want to. However, if I'm a white farmer and they are writing songs about killing the white farmer. I would be fortifying my position and be prepared to defend myself and country. As for the rich black man that is pushing this, whats in it for him?
the problem is.. you cannot defend yourself as a white farmer unless you are being killed and by then its probably too late. One of the victims of kill the white farmers was a 72 year old widow that was raising cattle...she was beaten raped and killed with a bag over her head...and justice pffft that was a dream of bygone days
shakesheadandwonders, unfortunately, stories like that are not uncommon in SA. Many gangs of black thugs feel as though the farms should be turned over to them and if they must use violence to take from the whites, then that is what they will do. However, this is all acceptable because it's being done to the evil white people. If it were being done to the blacks you'd never hear the end of it.
more misdirecting of anger at PROGRESSIVE FAILURE with the usual racial demagoguery
Do you see no difference whats happening in this country when it come to the poor Blacks and Woman....Just look at the teawackers ans RepublicanPukes...Looks at your state Republican party and the laws they pass to stop you for voteing..Everyone knows poor and Black vote for Democrats and if you let the RepublicanPukes run this country. We are in deep Sh*t.
Both parties suck so get over it. Furthermore, it would be so nice if people like you could get an education and realize that this isn't a two-party only system. But that would require self thought which I know must be difficult for certain folks such as yourself.
Yup: Teawacker that you r..You people hate it when we see you for what you really are....Assh*les.
A little FYI...
NEWSFLASH: The highest office in this country is occupied by a 'poor Black'. Woman have more opportunity than ever to do whatever they want. Can you tell me where it is illegal to vote in this country? (You can't be serious about that) We are in deep 'Sh*t' now in this country. The prez believes that spending more $$ that the government doesn't have will solve something. It doesn't! It enslaves all people that work for a living. The average family bill for the amount spent in 3 years is almost a million dollars (do the math!) for the 16 trillion he gave away (14.5 actually, King George gave away 1.5) Get a clue, it's not a red v. blue issue. It's the 'game' stupid, and we are all on the losing side.
Last point: Use the spell check, to avoid looking ignorant!
I live in South Africa. Malema and most of the ANC are crazy Bigots. The country is great, but the Government is so corrupt. Problem is, the majority of our country believe these idiots as they are idiots themselves. Our president had over 700 corruption allegations, and was not only voted in by 70% of the country, but the former president was forced out before his term was even up. Mandela has to support his party, but he must be so sad by what it has become.
Mandela has to support his party? Why, he can't think for himself? Last I checked, an individual isn't forced to support any specific party. It's their own choice whom they support.
If Mandela supports such a corrupt party then he is in fact no better than they are. He is scum. Sure he may have accomplished some great things in the past but those don't resolve him of his current misdeeds.
this whole Mandela image is a myth .
Why would Mandela be sad? He's just as corrupt as the lot of them.
"Darkest day of apartheid".It is much darker now.Black population grew by 900% in 100years.No wonder there is poverty.DUM,DUMMER,MALEMA.Majority thinks like him.incompotent,corrupt ,arrogant.5 white people have been murdered over the weekend by black people and 1 thirteen year old(yes 13)white girl by 4 adult black males for her cellphone,after she has handed it to them.Fuc...retard cavemen.But what do expect from people of the stone age not qualified for a modern world economy.Demorasy does not work in Africa.
Yeah, I refuse to feel sorry for the South African blacks when they attack and kill white people indiscriminately. Until they stop, I hope they get screwed every which but loose.
That crap happens here too. For instance, if you're white it's probably not a good idea to take a stroll in black parts of Philadelphia.
Or any major city and some minor ones too, for that matter.
It's not just blacks. It's every kind of gang minority, and even some good old white boys.
Once you are across the great divide between the haves and the have-nots, you're in potential danger. Those people are righteously chapped and they are looking for someone to take it out on.
Sad that everyone can't just be the HUMAN "race". Read your Bibles folks.
Lord, I pray that literacy regains a foothold in America. Amen.
What does reading the bible do? The bible was written by man for mans agenda and translated over the years.
@DoobyDoo ..... it has never ceased to amaze me , that the writings of an arabic tribe of people from the middle east , has become holy ....sure there are words of wisdom , but seeing it's the 21 st century and we are on the verge of space travel , it's time to create a book of Morals ....? A civilised race of people from Mars ( lol) will think this book of myths a joke and seriously dent our interstelluar image ....
At the center of the problems is corruption.
You know, just like here in the U.S.
The mines in South Africa are controlled by the Rothschild bankster cult.
For at least hundreds of years the Northern Hemispherians have been extracting mineral wealth from South Africa using essentialy slave labor to do so.
Apartheid was never really abolished - just perfected.
Now conflict is being encouraged as an excuse for bringing in "NATO" troops and completing the recolonization process - to be followed by DEpopulation.
Correct
Correct
Correct
Thanks! - we need more people like you who are willing to LOOK beyond the "mainstream" conflict promoting propaganda.
Missing the meds are you?
Some of you are such ignorant @!$%#s! Yeah, let them go back to the times when the natives were beaten, tortured, killed because their world was so much better back then. Stupidity of this kind can only come from the mouths of the American white.
SA, like the rest of the continent is a cesspool. A disgusting hole of despair, crime, famine, war and poverty. Nobody said they should go back to apartheid, but you've got the nerve to call Americans stupid. At least our entire country isn't a criminal thugs paradise. You are the one who is ignorant if you do not understand that SA will be in a worse state in another 10 or so years.
Get used to it.
This is where the US is headed under our present leader.
The American media beat the drum day in and day out for the downfall of Rhodesia and South Africa. Mainstream media propaganda that has resulted in more deaths and real atrocities than ever occured in the former South Africa.
Media propaganda isn't 'harmless' or 'just opinions' - carefully selected words and expertly tailored and skewed video coverage has real-life consequences,..and the media knows it. There is real blood on the hands of our 'news networks'.
"Voice of Hate or hero",...it would almost be funny, if it was not written in blood.
What country on the African Continent is run efficiently, competently and that still isn't a third world country !? The Europeans brought technical expertise and prgress beyond grass huts and grass skirts. Now that they are not in charge, what has South Africa resorted to !? Is it any wonder how "African-Americans" are, in knowing that they came from that place !?
Um well air force veteran, libya was doing just fine, until...........
The problem isn't that the Africans can't govern themselves. The problem is that the countries are basically broke because they were only granted independence AFTER the Europeans mined the hell out of them and spent the last few hundred years taking anything of value.
searcher8, a little bit of revisionist history? Perhaps you need to read the story a bit closer. Oh yes, the problem IS that Africans cannot govern themselves.