No miner convicted of murder

Land expropriation will hurt us all

AS THE country commemorates the sixth anniversary of Marikana, the sad truth is that the story has not been fully told.

Academics, researchers, the media, political parties and civil society alike, when they consider this tragedy, the deaths of the 10 people who died leading to this tragic day are de-emphasised.

They are treated as a footnote leading up to the so-called “real tragedy” and main event which captured the local and international imagination when the police killed the 34 miners. These victims’ families’ suffering is ignored.

Is society ashamed to speak the truth that some of the striking miners were responsible for these 10 murders?

That “man in a green blanket” and his cohorts who led this strike as the unions were not involved as they had abdicated their responsibility of leading workers, must shoulder the blame. They let irresponsible colleagues murder security people and police.

We are a sick society whose attention is only caught by issues that were covered live by the media. It is shameful that because the other murders were perpetrated by striking miners were not caught on camera, they were ignored.

I was incensed these past few days when civil society organisations were bemoaning the fact that no policeman has been convicted for the killing of the 34 miners and some were still at work. But they never highlighted that no miner has been convicted for the murder of these 10 other victims who deserve the same respect as the 34 slain miners.

Just because the 10 deaths were not “newsworthy” does not erase this history. Dr Thabisi Hoeane THE ANC is in turmoil after being cajoled, bullied and then duped into the “land expropriation without compensation” fiasco by the pseudo president, Julius Malema.

It now has its back to the wall, and has to deliver on its promise. As usual, the ANC, with all its experts, has not done any research.

Not only has the IMF warned President Cyril Ramaphosa about not paying compensation, stating it would chase investors away, but Brit- ish Prime Minister Theresa May has warned that it is a “crime against humanity”, and that the UK, EU, Australia and the US have agreed to apply sanctions and embargoes on South Africa if the plan goes ahead.

South Africa could also spend millions of rand on lawsuits by foreigners who own land in the country.

The “Hull Formula” requires “prompt payment of the full material value the property bore before expropriation”.

In 2009 the UN published guidelines outlining that there must be clear and transparent procedures for expropriation and “compensation that will ensure that the affected persons are not worse off after expropriation”.

Expropriation without compensation is blatant theft, that will have dire consequences for all South Africans.

A no-win situation for all. John Whitlock