Marxism & the South African Tragedy of Marikana 2012

Marxism & the South African Tragedy of Marikana 2012

Violence claimed 44 lives in less than one week, August 11- 16 period. 10 were killed by the workers themselves, which included 2 policemen, 2 security guards, and 6 mine workers & 34 workers were killed and 70 injured by South African Police Services (SAPS) personnel at the site surrounding the British owned Lonmin Platinum mine located in Marikana, 78 km west of Pretoria.

Following this incident, President Jacob Zuma ordered an independent commission of inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge, Ian Farlam. After two years of publicly held testimony with all who were in any way connected to the incident, final arguments by the attorneys representing stake holders in this incident.
A section of US Left has charged the government of South Africa itself to be the culprit. Raj Sakai, a member of ICSS, will attempt to provide a dispassionate analysis keeping in mind Lenin’s admonition to all those given to emotions, oversimplifications and shortcuts, repeatedly reminding them that a concrete analysis that employees all relevant concrete facts is needed in such cases.

Plan to come early for coffee and donuts. We start promptly.
FREE – but hat will be passed for donations to NPML

About Sunday Morning at the Marxist Library
A weekly discussion series inspired by our respect for the work of Karl Marx and our belief that his work will remain as important for the class struggles of the future as they have been for the past.
For descriptions and our full schedule, go to icssmarx.org