How tragedy scattered miner’s family
His adult sons now live in limbo in different provinces
The death of Lonmin mineworker Thabiso Mosebetsane on August 16 2012 turned his three children into orphans. His wife had died in 2003.
Mosebetsane had remarried but after his burial the relationship of his sons and their stepmother collapsed.
Katiso, 27, spoke about how his father’s death led to him and his two brothers having to move out of their comfort zone.
“When my father died, our family no longer had a breadwinner and it became the survival of the fittest,” Katiso said.
“The relationship between us and our stepmother soured and she left us. Soon thereafter, she was employed by Lonmin. We stopped talking to her and whatever income she made, she used it on herself.”
Katiso and his brothers Kabelo, 33, and Tshepo, 24, used to stay with their father in Marikana .
Katiso and Tshepo have since relocated to the Western Cape in 2016.
“We moved to Cape Town exactly a year ago and I stay at the same neighbourhood with my younger brother, while my older brother (Kabelo) is based in Durban,” Katiso said.
Katiso dropped out of high school in Grade 11 and does menial jobs like installing tiles and windows while Kabelo, who was born with an eye disability, earns a social grant.
“I miss my dad a lot. Life without him has been rough. At times I would stay for up to a week without getting a job.
“My dream is to get a Code 14 licence (for driving trucks) and look for a job as a truck driver and probably return to Joburg.
“My family life changed drastically when my dad died; he used to provide for us.
“It was never my dream to stay in Cape Town. If my dad was still alive, he would have taken care of me until I had managed to secure a job.”
He said that he and his siblings had not managed to keep abreast with the developments of the Farlam Commission which probed the Marikana massacre.
“No one has ever contacted us on whether the police officers who killed my dad have been prosecuted.
“I really wish I could meet with union leaders so that they may provide some of the answers as my brothers and I are suffering emotionally and financially following my father’s death.
“I wish for someone to come to our rescue,” Katiso concluded.
‘ ‘ When my dad died it became survival of the fittest