Marikana — a name repeatedly stained with blood

Marikana is back to haunt the headlines after the killing of 11 people in a Cape Town community bearing the same name.

Just more than five years since 34 mineworkers were killed during a wildcat strike and 10 others died days before the tragedy in Marikana, North West, Friday night’s killings in an informal settlement of the same name in Philippi brought the total killings in the area during September to 38, according to residents.

Nonesi Jokazi said yesterday that an hour after sharing a meal with her son, Lubabalo, 25, she found him lying in a pool of blood at Emaweleni Tavern. He was among four people who died when men burst into the shebeen and randomly opened fire.

“After finishing supper he told me that he was going to the tavern to play pool but said: ‘I will come back soon because I am scared of the tsotsis,’ ” said Jokazi.

“In no time I heard gunshots . . . I ran to the tavern and found him lying face down.”

Jokazi said Lubabalo’s two small children had been robbed of a breadwinner.

Manelisi Ngqengqiswa, 23, said he found his brother, Cebisile, 27, dead metres from the tavern.

“There is a lot of crime in this area. More than 20 people have been shot dead this month alone,” said Ngqengqiswa.

Ngqengqiswa and other residents suspect the shootings were retribution by criminals after the community had started patrolling the informal settlement. Criminals who had been kicking down doors and raping women had been exposed in the process.

Police spokeswoman Brigadier Novela Potelwa said: “We can only speak about the murders that happened early in the week, which is seven, and the ones that occurred last night, which is 11.

“We have initiated an investigation led by specialist detectives. We also have specialist high-risk units — such as the tactical response team and public order police — deployed in the area to quell the situation.”