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South African diamond miner being x-rayed at the end of his shift to prevent theft, 1954
(lemmy.world)
this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2023
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@Vytle @Vytle Apartheid era South African history.
Basically the miners there are more likely to be coerced, through things like having been fined and the "pass" system, not trafficked.
In the case of the technician, he is almost certainly a free person. Working class whites normally earned at least 10x the wages in SA mines, even for the same job. But it is unclear whether he belongs to the Apartheid classification "white" or "coloured" (who had less rights and lower pay).
What people are shitting on is his participation in a system of oppression and segregation which devalued the lives of Black people. These mines had incredibly high tuberculosis rates too. He is also using medical technology in a reckless way that causes harm.
But I think you are right in pointing out that to some extent he is a victim of his situation /lack of education, even if he has more privileges and a better situation than the Black mine workers.