Marikana casts a long shadow
AGANG-SA MP Andries Tlouamma yesterday said the celebration of Human Rights Day in the country was an insult to the miners killed in Marikana.
“Our people died and suffered like Jews in Nazi Germany,” Tlouamma said during a debate on Human Rights Day and the Nelson Mandela centenary celebrations in the National Assembly.
“Any celebration of Human Rights Day under the ANC led by (Cyril) Ramaphosa is a serious insult to our brothers and sisters who died at Marikana,” he said.
Tlouamma said Mandela would be shocked to find that Ramaphosa had been a director of mining company Lonmin where miners were killed.
“If we told him that we had another Sharpeville and Mr Ramaphosa was a director on that fateful day, he would regret ever considering him worthy of leadership.”
The MP questioned how Mandela’s centenary was celebrated when those in power stole from the poor.
“Is it not human rights violation when employment opportunities are given to those who are related to those in power? The money stolen under the ANC government could have been used to eradicate poverty,” he said.
The DA’s Semakaleng Kopane said Human Rights Day provided an opportunity to reflect on the journey to achieving democracy in South Africa.
“We need to understand that our democracy came as a result of sacrifices and determination of many heroes who walked before us – including Helen Suzman. She was the lone voice fighting for rights and freedoms of South Africans.”
Kopane also said that two decades after democracy, millions still suffered from injustices of the past under the ANC-led government.
“Their hopes and dreams of a new South Africa remain a dream.”
She echoed Tlouamma, that there was there was little to celebrate for the 47 mine workers who were killed at Marikana and the families of patients who died in the Life Esidimeni scandal.
The Cope’s Willie Madisha said Madiba’s struggle and life had been centred around the attainment of human dignity and human rights.
Madisha said the constitution recognised injustices of the past and was underpinned by the Bill of Rights.
The former trade unionist accused the ANC-led government of failing to give effect to the socio-economic rights.
“We run the risk possibly never achieving a united society based on human dignity, social justice and equality in which divisions of our past are healed,” Madisha said.
The ANC’s Leonard Ramatlakane said that on the centenary of Mandela, the vulnerable should enjoy their rights.
“We have to make sure they don’t trample the rights that were hardfought and hard-won. We have to defend them,” Ramatlakane said.
“The new dawn should deepen human rights culture. We should raise awareness of human rights as we do in this debate,” he said, adding civil society should be recognised for defending human rights in the country.