Workers' wives join Lonmin protest
Police keep watch as striking Lonmin miners gather on the hill top. File photo
Image by: SIPHIWE SIBEKO / REUTERS
Image by: SIPHIWE SIBEKO / REUTERS
A group of women armed with knobkerries moved toward a hill yesterday where some striking miners had gathered near Lonmin's Marikana mine in North West.
The women, who claimed to be wives of the workers, settled about 500m from the hill in the area, where 10 people had been killed in violent protests since last Friday.
"We have joined our husbands in their bid to earn a living wage. We cannot take this thing anymore," Maria Nku said.
She said her husband earned R4000 a month, and that this was not enough to cover their living expenses.
"We are joining them in their fight; we are the ones who suffer at home because of the peanuts that our husbands earn."
On top of the hill the group of men stood up and sang liberation songs.
Police were keeping watch.
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