R2K Statement: Marikana Police must respect the Right to Protest!
R2K is outraged by the behaviour of the Marikana Police and the Rustenburg Local Municipality. The officials are undermining the people’s right to protest by prohibiting the Marikana Youth Development from protesting at the Tharisa Mine in Rustenburg, North West province.
Yesterday, R2K was asked to intervene after the Marikana Youth Development has been trying to march to Tharisa Mine since September 2017 but whenever they are called to a Section 4 meeting by the municipal officials they are told that they are not “permitted” to march. This time the Marikana Police have prohibited the march on the grounds that the convenor, Raserole Mashamaite, is interdicted from engaging in any protests at Tharisa Mine. How such a far-reaching interdict could be granted, which robs these activists of their right to engage in protest against the mine, is a mystery.
It is also concerning to note that the person at the forefront of this violation is none other than the former North West Deputy Police Commissioner William Mpembe, who currently works at Tharisa mine as head of security. Mpembe and eight other policemen are currently facing criminal charges relating to the Marikana massacre. Their case will be heard next month.
The right to protest is a fundamental human right guaranteed in our Constitution and is critical to ensuring that ordinary citizens are able to voice their dissatisfaction and to hold government and the private sector accountable for their actions and obligations. It is totally unacceptable that this community is being prohibited from exercising this right. When communities protest without following “proper channels” they are criminalised and sometimes killed as we witnessed at the very same Marikana where 34 mineworkers were massacred in 2012. Yet these channels are often blocked by power-hungry and corrupt officials.
After getting legal advice, the community has postponed its march until Friday 25 May 2018, and will submit notice of the march with a different convener. This does not mean we accept the interdict but given the risk of arrest and criminalisation, this is an attempt to ensure the march can go ahead without further criminalisation while we look for legal support to challenge Mashamaite’s interdict.
As R2K we call on the Marikana police and the Rustenburg Local Municipality to stop protecting the interests of the capitalists by muzzling community dissent. Their mandate is to serve the community, not to be gatekeepers. This community has a right to protest!
Ongazi Makazi! We have a Right2Protest!
PLANNED PROTEST DETAILS:
Date: 25 May 2018
Time: 9AM – 13PM
Venue: Tharisa Mine, Rustenburg
For further comment contact:
Bongani Xezwi – R2K Outreach Organiser: 082 525 3949
Raserole Mashamaite – Marikana Youth Development: 071 308 3303
Busisiwe Zasekhaya – Right2Protest Coordinator: 081 583 8888
NOTE: R2K urges communities to use the Right2Protest Hotline (0800 212 111) which offers free legal advice for protesters who are having their rights undermined. The number is operational during business hours. Follow the Right2Protest Project on Facebook and Twitter @ProtestZA.
