The Institute of African Studies is pleased to invite you to the screening of the award-winning documentary, Miners Shot Down

Director: Rehad Desai; Producer: Anita Khanna; Country: South Africa; Year: 2014; Duration: 86 min;

In August 2012, mineworkers in one of South Africa’s biggest platinum mines began a wildcat strike for better wages. Six days later the police used live ammunition to brutally suppress the strike, killing 34 and injuring many more. Using the point of view of the Marikana miners, Miners Shot Down follows the strike from day one, showing the courageous but isolated fight waged by a group of low-paid workers against the combined forces of the mining company Lonmin, the ANC government and their allies in the National Union of Mineworkers.

What emerges is collusion at the top, spiralling violence and the country’s first post-apartheid massacre. South Africa will never be the same again.

Please join us with the discussion afterwards with Mr. Irvin Jim, General Secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa.

The discussion will be chaired by Toby Moorson, Sessional Lecturer, Institute of African Studies and PhD Candidate, Department of History, Queen’s University