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Ramaphosa urged to apologise for his role in Marikana disaster

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There have been different reactions to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statement that he is now to fast-track the process of reparation to the families of those who lost their lives in 2012 in Marikana near Rustenburg in the North West.

Ramaphosa made the comment while responding to debates on the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday.

Forty-four people lost their lives in Marikana in 2012 when thousands of Lonmin Platinum Mine employees embarked on a wage strike.

At that time, Ramaphosa’s Shanduka Company had minority shares at the platinum giant. He conceded to having written an email to Lonmin, calling for concomitant action to end the strike.

This statement is partly blamed by some for the killings in Marikana.

Following the killings in Marikana, a Commission of Inquiry was instituted.

It was chaired by retired Judge Ian Farlam. Its recommendations were criticised by many, some of whom said the commission only cleared high profiled figures, and failed to hold Lonmin and police accountable.

Now, the country’s number one has indicated that they will finalise the process of compensating families who lost their loved ones in the next few months. However, this man who was part of the workers’ committee does not welcome Ramaphosa’s statement on Marikana.

He asked for his identity to be hidden. “If you remember very well, following the Farlam Commission, those affected asked their lawyers to make claims. So, this is just a response to claims made by the lawyers. If he was honest, he could have said this before he could even become the president.”

Locals in the Nkaneng Informal settlement, a few kilometres from where 34 mineworkers were killed have different views.

“We will welcome him when he comes here but our main problem now here is roads. When we have funerals, it’s difficult to use these roads,” says one of the residents.

“How can he say now that he will help people, when he couldn’t do it over the past years?” asked another resident.

Advocate Andries Nkome, who represented the wounded and arrested mineworkers at the commission, says Ramaphosa must also apologise for his role in the tragedy.

“We do not know as to what the difference between yesterday’s (Tuesday) apology is, as well as the one that he gave in the past year. But, of importance, is that we feel the president must apologise for that his words cost injuries and deaths and he must apologise to the dead, as well as the injured.”

National Union of Mineworkers says Ramaphosa must be given a chance to deliver.

“We are expecting him to take care for the mining industry. We are expecting him to come and visit and meet with those families, and address all the needs of those people, including Marikana itself. So, we welcome the statement, and we are expecting that Cyril Ramaphosa is going to do what he did promise,” says NUM Regional Chairperson in Rustenburg Richard Mahoa.

Ramaphosa also mentioned that they are also dealing with commission’s recommendation to deal with compensation for those who got injured during the standoff, examining procedures of public policing, as well as preparing valid cases for prosecution.

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