34 miners killed at the hands of security forces. Countless more injured. A whole community left confused and grieving. That’s the aftermath of the Marikana massacre: the day in August 2012 when the South African police opened fire on people who had gathered to call for a fairer, safer deal from their employer, multinational mining company Lonmin.
The South African government has investigated the Marikana massacre but hasn’t released its findings. And Lonmin, the huge company that owned the mine when the massacre happened has never accepted any responsibility. They’ve failed to compensate the families of the miners who lost their lives.
Now, the widows of the miners who died are turning up the pressure on Lonmin. They’re asking BASF, who work with Lonmin, to use its influence to get Lonmin to step up and take responsibility.
But they need your voice to show that it’s not just South Africans who are demanding justice.
BASF is a huge corporation, and gives Lonmin a big share of their business. Next week, in Germany, they’ll gather for their AGM. Along with the usual bankers and brokers who attend these meetings, there’ll be some less familiar faces: two of the women made widows by the Marikana massacre.
These women aren’t corporate insiders. But they do know how much influence BASF could have if they told Lonmin to pay up to compensate miners’ families.
The Marikana widows attending the meeting will have travelled thousands of miles to stand in front of a roomful of strangers, to ask them to use their power to push for justice for the Marikana families. The very least they deserve is a chorus of support from all over the world.
That’s where we come in.
If tens of thousands of us add our name to the petition, the Marikana widows will stand up to address the AGM knowing that they’re standing the shoulders of thousands of us who believe they and their families deserve better. For the board of BASF, our support sends a powerful signal: this isn’t a far away problem they can ignore, because the Marikana widows have support in every country where BASF does business.
Can you add your name to make sure that the Marikana widows are backed up by a tidal wave of SumOfUs members calling for justice for them and their families?
More information
BASF challenged to share responsibility for the 2012 Marikana Massacre in So. Africa
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.
Marikana massacre: the untold story of the strike leader who died for workers’ rights
The Guardian. 19 May 2015.
The Guardian. 19 May 2015.