Very little has changed to improve working conditions: Marikana mineworker

Mineworkers who had participated in a strike at Lonmin’s Marikana mine outside Rustenburg in the North West 10 years ago, say very little has changed to improve their working and living conditions.

Today (August 16), marks the 10th anniversary of the Marikana massacre.

Police had shot and killed 34 mineworkers on this day in 2012.

Officers had also arrested mineworker Xolani Nzuza, after accusing him of having a hand in the killings.

“They see this as a celebration. But for me, it is a sad day because I lost my friends. Others left their families. Even now [I] still have a criminal case. I cannot do anything. Even when I try to do something to better my life, they say I have a criminal case. The charges do not make sense, it’s been 10 years now,” adds Nzuza.

The video below is reporting that most of the Farlam Commission recommendations have not been implemented: SERI

Meanwhile, Thabisile Phumo, Sibanye-Stillwater’s executive vice president for stakeholder relations, acknowledges that more still needs to be done to turn the tide for the Marikana community.

“You do appreciate that service delivery is the ambit of government. However, through our contribution since 2019, to some of the community programs, clinics, schools that we build in the areas and some of the roads, you can begin to see that we are making a dent to a very long history of under development in that area.

“You would know the challenges faced by that municipality. So, we are not saying we’ve arrived, we are saying the journey has started,” explains Phumo.

Below is the live stream for today’s proceedings: