Strike A Rock - Solidarity Screening

When: Wed 22 November 2017 19:00-21:00
Where: Lucas Lecture Theatre (formerly G2/DLT), SOAS Main Building

'Strike A Rock' - Solidarity Screening

?**Free award-winning documentary screening***

Documentary: Strike A Rock (1h 26m) 

Best South African Documentary 2017; 

2017 Amnesty International Award for Human Rights. 

Trailer:http://strikearock.co.za/ 

When: 7:00-9:00PM Wednesday 22nd November 2017

Where: Lucas Lecture Theatre (formerly G2/DLT)

SOAS Main Building, Thornhaugh Street

London

WC1H 0XG

Background: On 16 August 2012, the South African police, acting as an accomplice of Lonmin PLC, a British platinum group mining company and the third largest platinum extractor in the world, opened fire on mine workers who were striking for a mere living wage at Marikana, a platinum-rich area, about 80 miles north of Johannesburg, South Africa. This massacre saw corporate interests outweighing both human dignity and human rights. To this day, there has been no accountability from Lonmin nor from the South African government.

In commemoration of the lives lost, and in solidarity with the families still suffering and still fighting for justice, we will be screening the award-winning documentary: Strike A Rock. 

The documentary tells the story of two South African mothers and best-friends, Primrose Sonti and Thumeka Magwangqana. Primrose and Thumeka are members of Sikhala Sonke, a women-led community movement set up to fight for justice for the Marikana miners. This documentary brings the voices of the women of Marikana to the screen, and to the world, spreading awareness of the ongoing struggle for justice in Marikana. 

We will be collecting donations for Sinkhala Sonke, the women's organisation set up by Primrose and Thumeka and other women from Marikana community to secure the livelihoods and dignity they are being denied. The organisation runs community based projects to improve living conditions for the residents of Marikana. The women have developed a community garden to create jobs and to assist in providing food. They also want to open a facility for the children of Marikana, a small-scale chicken farm and a sustainable seamstress programme.

There will be time for questions and discussion with activists from anti-mining and solidarity networks after the screening, to discuss the history of this struggle in South Africa and what we can do from London. One concrete set of actions will be a number of protests and activities against the mining industry and its ties with right-wing politics and British imperialism which London Mining Network are organising starting on 25th November. More Details coming soon.