United Nations Presents: Miners Shot Down + Q&A

Miners Shot Down, dir. Rehad Desai, South Africa 2014, 86 mins

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.

The screening is followed by a discussion with guest speakers:

Maeve McClenaghan, Investigative Journalist

Dima Yared, Human Rights Officer, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights