Mineworkers lost R16.8-million in forfeited wages and benefits during last week’s illegal seven-day strike at Northam’s Zondereinde platinum mine, in Limpopo province. That followed the R100-million loss by the same mineworkers during their 2013/14 strike and the absolutely colossal R24-billion that Amplats, Implats and Lonplats workers lost in wages during last year’s marathon January to May strike. As big as these amounts are, they diminish when pitted against the opportunity loss to the mining companies that employ these workers and the South African economy as a whole and beg the question of why we South Africans regularly choose to inflict so much pain on ourselves and on our country.