Celani Sikhakhane
Abasebenzi basezimayini abebethukuthele begane unwabu bagasele esiteji ngoSuku lwaBasebenzi.
UMengameli uCyril Ramaphosa uphoqeleke ukuthi abalekele endaweni ephephile ngemuva kokuthi abasebenzi basezimayini abebethukuthele beveva begasele esiteji embuthanweni woSuku lwaBasebenzi lwe-Congress of South African Trade Unions (-Cosatu) obuse-North West ngeSonto.
UMengameli uphoqeleke ukuthi asuke enkundleni yezemidlalo i-Royal Bafokeng ngeNyala yamaphoyisa.
Abasebenzi bemayini yegolide i-Sibanye-Stillwater bamemeze bathi “uRamaphosa kumele ahambe!” ngesikhathi bemvimbela ukuthi akhulume nabantu.
Sekuphele izinyanga abasebenzi beteleka ngenxa yokungaholi kahle kanti bacikwa yi-Cosatu kanye nempendulo kahulumeni esicelweni sabo sokuthi banyuselwe imiholo ngo-R1 000.
URamaphosa uqale ukukhuluma nabasebenzi, ezama ukubaqinisekisa ukuthi uzizwile izikhalo zabo futhi uzozidlulisela kuNgqongqoshe wezokuMbiwa Phansi, uMnu Gwede Mantashe.
“Nifuna u-R1,000 wenu, ngiyakuqonda lokho. Siwuzwile lowo myalezo futhi sizobhekana nalolo daba,” kusho uRamaphosa etshela abasebenzi – kodwa bavele bacasuka kakhulu.
UMengameli we-Cosatu, uZingisa Losi, uzamile ukuthulisa abasebenzi abebedinwe begane unwabu kodwa wehluleka.
Abasebenzi basondele eduze kwesiteji ngesikhathi beqhubeka nokukhiphela ulaka lwabo kuMengameli.
Ekugcineni beqe intambo yamaphoyisa, uRamaphosa noLosi bathathwe ngamaphoyisa kanye nomholi we-SA Communist Party uBlade Nzimande.
Lokhu akukhona okokuqala uRamaphosa ebhekana nezinsongo zezokuphepha embuthanweni wamagatsha e-ANC.
Ngonyaka odlule kwadingeka ukuthi aphelezelwe ephuma emcimbini wophiko lwabesifazane be-ANC e-Limpopo kanti wabhekana nesimo esifanayo ngesikhathi kunomhlangano wezamabhizinisi we-ANC.