Marikana: tears still flow after 7 years

Thousands of platinum miners and community members turned up at the infamous koppie in Marikana yesterday to commemorate the 34 miners tragically killed by police during a strike at the Lonmin mine seven years ago on August 16, 2012.

At the commemoration, which was organised by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), the union handed over new houses to the families of the victims.

Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa said the Marikana massacre had exposed the truth that the ANC was not a government for the people, but one that protected the interests of white monopoly capital.

Amcu supporters before before president Joseph Mathunjwa’s keynote address at Wonderkop in Marikana, 16 August 2019, during the 7th year anniversary of the Marikana massacre. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

“This day is very important in our history.

“The blood that was spilled by our comrades was the real state capture,” said Mathunjwa.

He added that the ANC government had not taken responsibility for the loss of life in the tragic massacre, which had shocked the mining community in Marikana and the country.

“We do not have leaders in this country. What we have are managers who manage the affairs of white monopoly capital,” he said.

Mathunjwa said the ANC had created a fascist state by using force against the miners who had been demanding a wage of R12,500.

Residents on their way to Wonderkop next to the koppie at Marikana, 16 August 2019, during the 7th year anniversary of the Marikana massacre. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

The Marikana massacre was the first mass shooting under the democratic dispensation, and Mathunjwa said it had opened the eyes of workers across the country to the fact that they were still being exploited.

One of the survivors who was shot by the police, Mziwoxolo Mgidwana, said the shootings would not deter the mineworkers from continuing the fight for economic freedom and a better life.

“They can come and shoot us again if they want to, but what we really want is a wage increase up to R17,000,” he said.

Following the Marikana tragedy, government paid R67 million to the legal representatives of the families involved in the finalised cases.

However, regarding compensation for general damages, discussions between government and the representatives of the affected families were still taking place.

According to government, since the conclusion of the Marikana Commission of Inquiry, it had made “great progress” in implementing the inquiry’s recommendations.

Among these were to ensure that the South African Police Service strengthened its public order policing capacity.

A statement issued by the Government Communication and Information System yesterday noted that 3,825 members of the Public Order Policing unit had participated in basic training in crowd management. The department of human settlements had also launched a R700 million housing project at Marikana and to date 544 housing units had been completed.

– gcinan@citizen.co.za

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