No peace for Marikana families
MARIKANA: Even though considered the greatest tragedy in democratic South Africa by many, the absence of government officials and ANC politicians was striking at the commemoration of the Marikana massacre yesterday, as opposition parties pledged money to help the community.
The Marikana Massacre Amcu Trust Fund, which will help uplift Lonmin miners and the widows left without their breadwinners, drew in millions of rand from the EFF, the UDM and the DA.
The government issued a statement saying that it had been “hard at work to address the revitalisation of distressed mining communities and find sustainable solutions that are of benefit to all” through an interministerial committee.
While many of those attending the commemoration, which was organised by mining union Amcu, questioned the ruling party’s no-show, they were not surprised.
This followed President Jacob Zuma’s itinerary being changed to skip Marikana in the North West during the ANC’s election campaign.
Marikana has become a no-go area for the ruling party, with many holding it, the police and the company responsible for the death of dozens of miners in 2012, then doing very little to fulfil promises of service delivery and community upliftment.
“Government has done absolutely nothing for us. Not even our own President Zuma, never mind the government.
“No one has come to us to apologise or to even talk to us about what happened and why it happened,” said widow Nandipha Guluza.
She told Independent Media that if Zuma had the courage to apologise to those who lost their family members, it would bring them some peace.
Thousands of mineworkers, widows, politicians and religious leaders gathered at the Wonderkop koppie yesterday where the mass shootings took place to remember those who lost their lives on that fateful day.
Miners said they did not regret participating in the 2012 strike and their fight for decent wages continued.
During the strike, 34 miners lost their lives and 10 people were murdered in the days leading up to the August 16 massacre.
While it seemed like a celebration as music was played and artists performed, workers told Independent Media of the pain that day still brought.
Rock driller Mthusi Lekwape said he could barely sleep on Monday night because of the memories.
“I was walking to the koppie for a meeting and I quickly reversed and went back home when I heard the shots, they were so loud. When I got home, I cried because I worked with those men.
“I would do it again because those people died for the R12 500 because we haven’t achieved it yet. I don’t regret it and never will because we have yet to earn that money.”
His colleague, Israel Motlade, who does rail maintenance at Lonmin, shared similar sentiments, saying he was angry that nothing had been done to make yesterday a public holiday.
“This day made me angry, this day should be the same as the Sharpeville Massacre.
“We are hurt by what happened here,” said Motlade.
Widows also paid tribute to their husbands and pleaded for everyone to respect the area around the koppie as a sacred space.
“We want that this place must be respected by everyone at Lonmin, our blood was lost here.
“If you could buy a life, then we would work hard to make sure that those people’s lives are brought back.
“We lost our husbands here,” said a visibly shaken Nosakhe Nokhamba as she addressed the crowd.
Those who addressed the gathering included the EFF’s Julius Malema, DA’s Mmusi Maimane, Cope’s Mosiuoa Lekota, the UDM’s Bantu Holomisa and Zwelinzima Vavi, who spoke on behalf of unions who are working to launch a new labour federation.
Malema was welcomed with loud cheers and used his speech to introduce his party’s triumphant ward councillors in Rustenburg.