Sunday marks the 8th anniversary of the Marikana massacre where 34 mineworkers were gunned down by the police at a Lonmin Platinum Mine on the 16th of August 2012. It’s in the most deadly use of force by the police since Soweto uprising on June 16th, 1976.
Remembering Marikana in the time of COVID- 19. Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and the current owners of the mine, Sibanye-Stillwater, held virtual events on Friday to commemorate the tragedy.
It all began as a wild cat strike by Amcu members demanding a salary of R12 500 a month. The strike degenerated into violence with 10 people killed in the days leading up to the deadly clash between the miners and the police on August, 16th.
In the video below, footage of Marikana shooting:
Ahead of this year’s commemoration, Sibanye-Stillwater says it’s doing a lot to help the widows and children of the miners killed in 2016.
But Amcu has also lashed out at the company accusing it of doing nothing for workers and their communities.
In the video below, families of Marikana massacre speak out:
Amcu president, Joseph Mathunjwa says to date no one has taken responsibility for the massacre of the mineworkers.
He added that the mining company Lonmin has failed to improve the lives of the mining community as they had promised.
“How many houses have been built there at Nkanyeni? No improvement. We made money for Lonmin which is now Sibanye, but there is no improvement to the community; there is no running water; no street lights; there is nothing. They just take the money and leave the country.”
In the video below, remembering the Marikana massacre:
