Marikana commemoration activities are taking place in North West on Friday. A total of 44 people were killed in Marikana – with 34 of those being miners who died in a hail of police gunfire on this day in 2012.
Ex-mineworkers march to parliament
A small group that includes ex-mineworkers have marched to parliament to demand access to their employment benefits.
The group , known as the informal settlement network, used the seventh anniversary to cast a spotlight on the plight of ex-miners – many of whom never received proper benefits. They’ve pointed the finger at big financial service providers and the Department of Labour.
Gracias Mgquba, who was a mineworker until 1988, says they have been fighting for their money for more than 20 years.
“I left the mines in 1988. Now the time was apartheid, they took money without giving us something … provident fund, pension fund, blue card not UIF. I am not talking about UIF. UIF is the new implementation.”
