A worker and his horse bow their heads as thousands of mineworkers gathered at the ‘koppie’ in Marikana, Rustenberg on Tuesday to pay tribute to their fallen colleagues killed by police for demanding better wages 10 years ago. Picture: Timothy Bernard/ African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town - While President Cyril Ramaphosa once again snubbed the 10th Marikana massacre commemoration, the ANC was not only a no show at Tuesday’s gathering attended by thousands of people, but failed to even release a public statement or messages of support to the grieving widows and their children.
Neither Ramaphosa’s office nor ANC’s spokesperson Pule Mabe replied to requests for comments about their failure to honour the slain mine workers during the commemoration .
Instead, Ramaphosa’s office posted a video of the president jetting off to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he will be participating in the 42nd Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community Heads of State and Government.
Despite promising the late Struggle icon Winnie Madikizela Mandela to visit Marikana five years ago, Ramaphosa has failed to do so.
His role in the massacre calling for concomitant action to be taken against the striking mine workers remains one of his shameful legacies.
At the time Ramaphosa was a shareholder of the Lonmin mine.
On the afternoon of August 16, 2012, 34 miners on strike for better wages were killed by police at “the koppie” of Lonmin mine.
Ramaphosa had sent an instructive email to then police minister Nathi Mthethwa calling for “concomitant” action against the miners.
Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa said Tuesday there would not be closure on the Marikana matter until Ramaphosa accounted for his role in the massacre.
“Justice for Marikana will only be served if we see Ramaphosa behind bars,” Mathunjwa said.
Retired Bishop of the Anglican Church, Jo Seoka, shared Mathunjwa’s sentiments.
“All said and done, Ramaphosa who has now been named by the high court just as having a case to answer to, must publicly apologise, face prosecution and step aside until the Marikana matter has been finalised,” Seoka said.
He called on Lonmin to also return an estimated R75 billion worth of gold “deposited in the Bank of England, stolen during colonial rule in South Africa”, adding “these resources can be used for greater good to benefit the people from whom they were repossessed”.
“Gaps are too wide in the process of transformation and development in the Marikana area a decade since the callous act which resulted in the unprecedented massacre of innocent poor miners at Lonmin”, Seoka added.
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) last night in a statement said the government remained committed to changing the legacy that came to define the Marikana community.
“As a caring government, we firmly believe that the Marikana renewal interventions will not only contribute to the important process of healing but will also result in the socio-economic development of the area.
“The renewal seeks to secure a better future for the community of Marikana and the families of those who lost their lives.”
Political analyst Professor Seepe said: “There is no doubt in my mind that Ramaphosa cares more about his image than about the pain suffered by the relatives of the victims that were mowed down in Marikana.”
Cape Times
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