SA is a country at war with itself

South Africa is a country at war with itself, claiming to promote dialogue, but instead stifles those who do not march to the prescribed drum beat, said Rt Rev Dr Bishop Jo Seoka at the Just World Conference in Kempton Park, on Monday, 29 October 2012.

“We won our democratic character through negotiations where people came together to talk and discuss a way towards a solution for the common good for all, but we have forgotten how to do this. We have forgotten how we arrived at where we are today”.

Speaking at the start of the two-day conference hosted by The Bench Marks Foundation, in collaboration with the Norwegian Church Aid, Seoka said that the country now waits too long before embarking on negotiations.

“There is an African proverb that says that things are corrected through talking. People are encouraged to talk about their differences instead of resorting to fighting,” says Seoka.

“Unfortunately in my experience we have resorted to fighting.

“In Marikana, mine management could have done things differently. The workers had asked them to create space for discussions but they ignored this request. Talking would have alleviated the tension from the start and the carnage we saw happen on that fateful day in August, would not have occurred.

“It took far too long before negotiations started, and too many lives were lost because of this.

“We need to find ways to create that space that our mine workers are so desperate to attain, to reduce the level of violence, and to address the flaws in our democratic society.

“It is therefore, our intention, with this conference, to begin to correct this lack of dialogue.

Seoka said that representatives from a wide variety of sectors are attending the conference - academics, policy makers, NGOs, representatives of local communities, traditional leaders, as well as mining companies - thereby ensuring that as many voices are heard as is possible.

“We will discuss and explore the impacts of extractive industries on local communities and different models for ownership of natural resources. In addition, we will discuss how minerals can bring about development”.

Seoka said that it is important to note that the Marikana story is symptomatic of much bigger economic and social problems facing South Africa and indeed the rest of Africa.

He said that throughout Africa, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed over resource extraction and hundreds of thousands more have lost their jobs in the industry.

He said that questions need to be asked and debated on at this conference, and others, such as

• Whether investment under private ownership is for the benefit of the shareholder and really brings about holistic development for countries and communities?
• Whether investment modelled under the precept that governs multinational companies to pursue their material self-interest at any cost and at the lowest costs possible is really beneficial, and if so, to whom?
• Whether the sovereignty and democracy of South Africa is working if rating agencies are allowed to determine the country’s economic policy?

“These rating agencies say they want certainty, which really means low wages, high profits, little regulation and low levels of investment in communities. This is what started the problems in our country in the first place”.

Seoka says that South Africa has a deep history of mining companies forcing people off their land, using cheap migrant labour, paying very low wages, providing extremely bad living conditions to their workers and having huge negative impacts on surrounding communities.

“Now, when workers demand dignity, a living wage and fair treatment, we are downgraded!

“A democracy should provide for the human rights of all citizens, including the right to decent work, a living wage and collective bargaining,” he said.

“South Africa’s constitution is said to be one of the best in the world, but the majority of our citizens are yet to enjoy the freedom provided for by our constitution.

“Our studies have shown and continue to show a widening gap between communities’ aspirations and the reality of workers in conflict with the powers that be.”

“If we learn nothing else from the Marikana and Lonmin catastrophe, we should at least recognise that to ignore the root causes of discontent would be inviting another ‘Marikana’.

“We need to ensure that there is democratic participation in decision making. We need to remember that community and stakeholder relations are essential”.

Seoka said that we all have two choices:

We can use platforms such as the Just World Conference to reflect on whose resources are being extracted and what kind of world we want. To actively utilise platforms such as this to help shape and inform policy worldwide on just extraction, on who benefits and how we can change resource extraction to something that benefits people, communities, workers and society;

Or we can sweep everything under the carpet and go back to business as usual.

To find out more about the conference, please contact Bench Marks on 011 832 1743 or email justworldconference@gmail.com.