The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa has launched a scathing attack on all South African presidents post 1994.
He says they have failed to tackle issues of poverty and inequality and gender based violence – faced by many South Africans.
Mathunjwa delivered his keynote address during the Marikana massacre commemoration in Rustenburg in the North West.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Marikana koppie to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the massacre.
Mathunjwa says the country’s presidents post 1994 have done nothing for the citizens.
“The fourth President [Cyril Ramaphosa] that we have is a billionaire but all these presidents have not changed the lives of black child in South Africa. We need a president that has compassion and the such president is appointed by God. The God who will touch the minds and the souls of the South Africans and to open their eyes and conscious to be able to elect the president that will not sleep in his house but he will find out what has happened,” adds Mathunjwa.
Meanwhile, Mathunjwa repeated a call that 16 August be declared a public holiday.
“We will fight for this day to be a public holiday for workers in South Africa. The 16th of August must be declared a public Workers’ Day,” he says.
The video below is the proceedings of the 10th-anniversary commemoration:
‘No justice for Marikana victims’
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) say there has been no justice for the victims of the Marikana tragedy.
The party has also criticised President Cyril Ramphosa’s role in demanding concomitant action against striking mine workers at Lonmin Mine where he served as a non-executive director.
It says his road to the presidency is paved with the blood of the deceased.
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo says the Marikana massacre has permanently scarred South Africa.
“The EFF calls for compensation for the widows and children of the Marikana mineworkers. We call for the mines across the platinum belt to build houses, schools, clinics and infrastructure in Marikana. We call for the 16th of August to be a public holiday, so that future generations will always know what happened on this day.”
“That a democratic state killed people in defence of profit. No one must tire of demanding justice for the people of Marikana, because this nation will never know peace until there is justice for those killed on that day,” says Tambo.
Healing process by family members of the victims: Father Michael Lapsley
ATM lambast Ramaphosa
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has lambasted the lack of respect accorded to the families of those killed at Marikana.
ATM spokesperson Sibusiso Mncwabe says, “The victims have not been compensated as we all know. The deceased families have not been compensated even the one who is very much implicated in this matter the current president of this country, has not even visited the victims and the deceased’s families.”
“This will remain a dark cloud over Ramaphosa even if he is no longer the President of this country. It shows that he does not believe some people deserve respect,” adds Mncwabe.
How police deal with crowd management 10 years on:
