Sparks Motseki

Is the deputy president fit to lead the ANC, with a bloody affair hanging over his head? asks

MARIKANA Tragedy: “They are plainly dastardly criminals and must be characterised as such.” – Cyril Ramaphosa

“In line with this… there needs to be concomitant action to address this situation.”

Will these words render a presidential candidate liable for a mass murder charge? We must never forget the Marikana tragedy, for its varied and conflicting interpretations as shared in our public discourse.

The events of that week of tragedy, 60 months ago, will always haunt our collective conscience, since this transpired as a labour strike going horribly wrong.

We are here five years later and also in the aftermath of the Farlam Commission’s findings and report. Marikana has, however, for some, become a political football, the 44 lives lost. Their families and loved ones must be finding the politics around Marikana despicable.

Marikana is also threatening to be a decisive factor of influence in this elective year for ANC high office. The primary reason for that is the presence of Deputy President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, who is directly linked to the tragedy.

We heard last week that Ramaphosa asked to attend the memorial but, as communicated by the Amcu leader Joseph Mathunjwa, on behalf of the victims and families of the 34, he was not welcome.

Let us not forget Ramaphosa tried to apologise for his role in the tragedy. While an apology is always welcomed as a sign of true reflection and remorse, the questions mounted as to why he waited so long.

If this was not just another public relations stunt in an elective year in which he is a serious contender, how far must this apology be stretched?

Ramaphosa’s belated apology

Remembering... miners and members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union sing during the fifth-anniversary commemoration of the killing of 34 striking platinum mineworkers who were shot dead by police outside Lonmin’s Marikana...