National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa - 50th anniversary of the 1946 African Mine Workers' Strike (1996)

This original poster is a commemorative and political piece issued by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa. It marks the 50th anniversary of the pivotal 1946 African Mine Workers' Strike.

The poster links the 1946 strike—one of the most significant industrial actions in South African history—to the ongoing labor struggle in 1996. By using the phrase "50 Years Fighting Cheap Labour," it frames the contemporary labor movement as a direct continuation of the resistance against the exploitative systems of the mid-20th century.

The "Same Demands"

The list of six core demands, explicitly stating that despite five decades passing, the fundamental needs of the workers remain remarkably consistent:

1. A living wage: A move beyond mere "survival" pay.

2. Safe working conditions: Addressing the high mortality and injury rates in deep-level mining.

3. 40 hours working week: Standardizing labor hours.

4. Abolition of the compound system: This refers to the migrant labor system where workers lived in restricted, prison-like barracks. The poster calls for the establishment of proper "villages" with social infrastructure like schools and hospitals.

5. Abolition of racial discrimination: Removing the "color bar" that historically reserved skilled jobs and higher pay for white miners.

6. Equal compensation: Ensuring that injury or death benefits are paid on the same basis regardless of race.

The concluding slogan, "THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!" (a translation of the famous Frelimo rallying cry A Luta Continua), serves as a call to action. It suggests that while the political landscape of South Africa changed significantly between 1946 and 1996, the economic transformation for mineworkers was still very much a work in progress.

Tear to the top centre; some stains; creasing to the edges.

595mm x 420mm

R2,000