A crucial and fiercely-fought strike is taking place in South Africa now. Some 80,000 platinum miners are striking against the brutal mining multinationals and the government that backs them.

The strike is at a critical point. Workers have been on strike for three months. The biggest platinum conglomerates, the Chamber of Mines, and the state are united in their determination to crush the demand for a living wage of R12 500 a month (£175 a week). A victory for the mineworkers has huge possibilities for transforming the position of workers in all sectors of the economy.

The strikers have stood against intimidation, arrests, financial hardship and the threat to their jobs. They are battling heroically.

On Thursday 24 April Anglo American, the chief representative of the rapacious employers, is holding its AGM in London. We want to be there supporting the miners.

There is another protest planned by Actsa (Action on Southern Africa) at the same time raising Anglo American’s treatment of its ex-miners with siliciosis. Thousands of former gold miners are suffering from silicosis, without the compensation, testing and care they need. The protest will call on Anglo American and all the companies that made their fortunes from apartheid gold to pay up now.

Obviously we support the Actsa protest, but we also want to raise the strike.

South Africa is at the centre of some of the most important battles by the world’s working class. Please come on the protest if you can