Basic HTML Version
The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, the editor, SAAEs, SAEE, CESA or IESSA
Comment
Electricity+Control is supported by:
S
eldom do I alter my comment after writing it. I mean, of
course I craft and review it – but I am thinking in terms
of changing the topic completely.
This month I am obligated to write a comment on a topic that
I had not previously thought of. It relates to an incident that, I
believe, is a tragedy and a national shame – an event that history
will look back on and judge us harshly for.
I refer of course to the tragedy around the loss of life in our
mining industry. Unless you are resident of another planet,
there is no way you have not felt what happened in Marikana.
I have had feedback from colleagues around the world, where
the aftermath of this tragedy is still being felt.
I have read and re-read all the accounts I can find on the incident;
I have thought about the analyses made to date; I have chatted
to colleagues to get their views - but on reflection, although I can
see how blame can be shifted from one side to the other, and
so on, I cannot for one moment comprehend how such a terrible
thing could possibly have happened, or be allowed to happen.
It is patently clear that ‘things went wrong’ – but I guess I am
pondering how it was possible that they could have been allowed
to go quite so wrong.
Loss of life in matters like this really has to be considered at the
level of being a national tragedy.
I am confident that many folk reading this may consider my view
naïve. But I beg to differ.
It is common cause that labour in many sectors has expressed
disapproval of their lot using a variety of forums and techniques,
one of which is to strike (both meanings).
It is also common cause that the police have really not had to
try their hand at real crowd control for some time, and further
that they may well have lost the capacity to deal with crowds
humanely.
Furthermore, I cannot possibly imagine a situation where those
in charge on both sides are not aware of the scenarios that may
play out. Perhaps they weren’t? But that then points to an even
more worrying situation.
All of this, taken together, leads me to conclude that, irrespective
of whatever happened, whoever fired the first shot, whoever
issued whatever orders, somewhere, someone, must surely
have been able to foresee the outcome? I cannot imagine it
any other way.
As I write I am getting the sense that the impact of this horrific
disaster is being felt around the nation – I see flags flying at half
mast to honour those injured and those who passed away; I am
aware of a swathe of public debates and seminars on the topic
of Marikana, and there is a hushed silence from our leaders as
we slowly recognise how terrible this all was.
This is not about blame – it has to be about figuring out what the
iceberg is that this whole event represents the tip of - because,
without doubt, this is a symptom and not a cause.
Naturally, there are many - who lived through this, experienced
it, saw it, and were taking decisions relating to the entire event
- who must be gutted with what ultimately transpired. I am
sure all our hearts go out to them. I cannot imagine a worse
situation to be in than to, in a manner of speaking, wake up to
the aftermath of such a tragedy.
But, as a nation, I think this reminds us of our frailty as human
beings, as well as our need to rapidly move away from violence
of any kind as a means of expressing or imposing our views.
My sense is that our corner of the world is less than gentle
and accommodating of divergent views (in reality), and that
our fallback position is to use force in many, many situations.
How utterly, utterly tragic.
Ian Jandrell
Ian Jandrell
Pr Eng,
BSc (Eng) GDE PhD,
FSAIEE SMIEEE
1
September ‘12
Electricity+Control