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Marikana residents call on President Ramaphosa to visit the area

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President Cyril Ramaphosa’s political career hasn’t been an easy one, but it is certainly on an upward trajectory. Unfortunately, that can’t be said about the people of Marikana in the North West. President Ramaphosa is yet to visit the area since the 2012 killing of 44 people during a miners strike for better wages.

Some community members are calling on the President to add them onto his schedule when he resumes office.

The tragedy of 16 August 2012 remains etched in the memory of the nation. The Farlam Commssion, which investigated the killings, absolved the then deputy President Ramaphosa of complicity. The residents of Marikana are calling for more accountability.

“The President must come and address the following; people who were injured, the widows and the community at large. They are trying to get the trust and confidence in him; the Farlam Commission took too long.”

Although life continues in the impoverished mining community, many are still aggrieved about what happened.

“In 2012; we were demanding salary increases, but many of our colleagues were killed by our government and we never received anything.”

With the wave of poverty, inequality and unemployment on the rise; some residents say it’s time the president came to help turn things around.

“My message to the president is that I am unemployed and can’t find a job because they say I’m too old so I am forced to collect litter.”

“We voted for Ramaphosa and the ANC and we need him to come here and talk to us.”

Meanwhile, the legal representatives for the injured and arrested mine-workers say they are working on applying for a review of the Farlam Commission. They say they are at an advanced stage to have the charges facing their clients dropped.

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