Today marks a decade since the Marikana Massacre, one of South Africa’s bloodiest tragic events that still haunt the victims that survived on this day.
On 16th August 2012, thirty-four unarmed miners were killed, seventy-eight left seriously injured and two- hundred and fifty were arrested. Open fire was charged against the miners by the South African Police Service, during a strike at the Lonmin Platinum Mine in Marikana, Rustenburg, North-West.
This event was followed by a week-long protest by the miners demanding wage increases, these miners marched and got together unarmed to voice out their grievances at the Lonmin Platinum Mine with no legal protection nor union to help them get their grievances across.
Reports on this tragic event state that police officials claim they opened fire to the miners in self-defense yet not a single officer got injured in any way or form.
“Addressing a press conference, SAPS authorities claimed its officers opened fire on the miners in self-defense, after the miners attempted to attack them using machetes, spears and clubs. The official number of people killed was confirmed by National Police Commissioner General Riah Phiyega, weeks after the incident” states the South African History Online article.
Today, the victims that survived the massacre have come together in commemoration of the mineworkers that were killed during the protest. It is a constant reminder of what happened says one of the survivors.
“Marikana is an impoverished community and even with that, incidents such as these happen and nothing has been done. 10 Years later” says resident of Marikana.
Amnesty International-South Africa say the government has failed the victims of Marikana and that the mining company should also be held accountable as well as everyone that was involved in tragic loss of those miners.
[…] A DECADE SINCE THE TRAGEDY OF MARIKANA MINEWOKERS: MARIKANA MASSACRE […]