9 Sep 2012

South Africa’s ANC faces major political crisis

As South Africa’s striking miners prepare to return to work, Channel 4 News looks at the labour dispute that turned into a major political crisis – and the biggest threat that has ever faced the ANC.

Thirty four miners were shot dead by police when a strike at the Lonmin mine turned into running battles. Under the terms of a peace accord, their colleagues are meant to return to work on Monday.

But from South Africa, Channel 4 News’ Inigo Gilmore reports that furious strikers have accused the ANC of betraying them – and failing to stand up for their interests.

Paseka Ramosebetsi is one of the striking miners who recently joined protests over low wages.

Paseka has lived in a basic shack for the past nine years. There is no electricity, no running water – and he cooks on a paraffin stove. He doesn’t even have a mattress. He earns about £300 a month but sends most of it back home to support his extended family.

Read more: Marikana mine strike Q&A

He told Channel 4 News: “I am doing the hard work…but the people who are working at the surface and the managers, they getting good salaries, and good bonuses. But we work underground. We get nothing”.

Like many, Paseka says he is bitter that the ANC government, once the champions of workers rights, now seems to have other priorities.

“They just want the money, and (are) building beautiful house with beautiful cars and we suffering just down here they don’t care for us.
Look we are staying in the shacks – now there’s no roof, no water,” a fellow miner said.

Giving up on a dream?

The tragedy here in Marikana has cast a harsh spotlight on the disparities of life in South Africa.

Eighteen years after the end of apartheid there is deep resentment towards an ANC leadership that is reaping the profits of power, while millions in places like this continue to struggle.

President Jacob Zuma has been harshly criticised for his weak response to the crisis – but he says he is deeply concerned about what happened in Marikana and is committed to improving workers’ conditions.

Yet the feeling remains that too few have prospered in the new South Africa. Justice Malala, a political analyst, told Channel 4 News: “The ANC said look at me, look at this country, I assure you that your tomorrow will be better than your today.

“A lot of people are saying we have been waiting 18 years. You put in a lot of money but it’s enriching a few. A lot of people are saying we are giving up on this dream and only way to get to a situation, where we are all sharing in it is to riot”.

Rebel with a cause

Stepping into this leadership vacuum is man of the moment Julius Malema.

This crisis has given the ANC rebel a cause. He has appeared at mine after mine, whipping up the crowds and encouraging striking miners to keep up the fight.

Read more: Who is South Africa's Julius Malema?

Malala told us: “Julius Malema has been kicked out of the ANC so he doesn’t have a platform any more – so he sees that there’s pain and he rushes to it and gets himself a soap box and speaks what an audience of 2000, 3000 wants to hear”.

On their release from custody, groups of miners chanted their support for Malema.

As his popularity soars, the ANC, facing its greatest crisis since taking power, ignores this discontent at its peril.