Black Families Enter Men-Only S. Africa Hostels

About 250 wives and children of black coal miners have moved into hostels intended only for men to challenge the century-old migrant labor system that separates families, union officials said today.

The action, at hostels run by Anglo American Corp. coal mines, violates South African law and mine rules. Union officials said that so far management has taken “no drastic action” against the women and children.

Cyril Ramaphosa, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, told reporters that the protest will be extended to hostels where gold and diamond miners live, and to other companies.

He said 600 women and children moved into hostels at seven mines last weekend and 250 remained.

Food Being Brought In

Anglo spokesman James Duncan issued a statement today refusing to say which mines were affected, how many families were involved or what management would do. He said fewer families were involved than the union claimed.

“Mine management has been confused as to how to respond and has called in the shaft stewards to talk with them,” Ramaphosa said.

Union officials said that, in coal mine hostels, one room usually houses four or five men. They said miners without families agreed to double up so each miner in the protest could have a dormitory room for his family. Women without husbands are not allowed in the hostels, they said, and food for the families is being brought in.

Separate Units for Whites

White miners are provided separate, subsidized housing. Blacks are not allowed to live in areas near mines except in the hostels.

The migrant system began soon after gold was discovered in Johannesburg a century ago. Black miners from rural South Africa and neighboring countries were offered single-sex housing under contracts that prevented them from seeing their families more than a few times a year.