Marikana – The Bapo Ba Mogale Traditional Council in Bapong, near Marikana in North West, must treat all villagers equally or face the wrath of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the party said on Friday.
“The traditional council of Bapo must stop discriminating (against) people. We are told to be employed at Lonmin you need a letter from the council and the council refuse to give such letters to non-Setswana speaking people,” said Thulani Makhanye, the chairperson of the EFF in the Bojanala Region.
He was speaking to party supporters during a protest march at the Lonmin platinum mine in Marikana.
“The council must stop this discrimination or we will challenge them. I am not scared of them,” said Makhanye.
“We are all South Africans. They must not see us [as] Motswana, Sotho or Xhosa. We are all equal and need to be respected.”
He called on party members not pay for jobs at Lonmin.
“There is a man who is collecting R500 from you promising you jobs. You must not give out money. Lonmin must employ you.”
About 500 EFF members braved the scorching heat to participate in the march.
They demanded that Lonmin must employ them irrespective of whether they were Setswana-speaking or not. The mine was given 14 days to respond to their demands.
Lonmin representative Victor Tseka and head of public affairs Happy Nkhoma received the memorandum on behalf of the mine.
EFF members dispersed peacefully after handing over the memorandum.
African News Agency
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