On this day in August 2012, the South African Police Service (SAPS) fatally gunned down 34 mineworkers at Marikana who were part of a protest for a wage increase at the Lonmin platinum mine.
#MarikanaMassacre was trending on Monday as Twitter users commemorated the massacre of miners at Marikana.
After 9 years to date no one is held accountable for #MarikanaMassacre 💔🇿🇦 were mine workers at Lonmin mine demanding Salary increase from 6k to R12500 a month. Breadwinners has been killed, wives became widows, kids became fatherless 💔
Is this democracy ? pic.twitter.com/rIePX931KB
— Daniel Marven (@danielmarven) August 16, 2021
The killing of the 34 mineworkers was the culmination of a week long protest by the miners who were demanding a living wage.
Remember Marikana. Remember Mambush.
Remember the families who’ve waited a decade for true accountability.
Remember the politicians and corporations sitting comfortably to this day. #MarikanaMassacre— Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh (@SizweMpofuWalsh) August 16, 2021
The Marikana Commission of Inquiry was later established that year to investigate the massacre of the miners.
When 34 miners were brutally killed in Marikana; President Zuma was in Mozambique on a SADC Summit
After he learnt of this tragedy between miners and Lonmin; he cut his trip and went to meet with the miners and families of the deceased. A Leader✊🏾#MarikanaMassacre 🕊🕯 pic.twitter.com/FPrwsqjvIf
— Sphithiphithi Evaluator (@_AfricanSoil) August 16, 2021
In March 2015, that commission submitted a report to then president Jacob Zuma which exonerated political figures who had been accused of having a hand in the events leading to the massacre of mineworkers, including then deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, the former minister of police Nathi Mthethwa, the former minister of mineral resources Susan Shabangu and the former commissioner of the police Ria Phiyega.
#RememberMarikana #MarikanaMassacre #Marikana
We remember Marikana each day more so, on this day!
The families of the deceased are yet to find justice!
The people of Marikana are still living in poverty!
Their killers are still roaming Mzansi! pic.twitter.com/IhF1BApLMM
— Tumi Sole (@tumisole) August 16, 2021
At the time of the massacre Ramaphosa was a non-executive director at Lonmin.
August 16❤️❤️❤️let's remember Mabush , what a fighter!!! Rest in power #MarikanaMassacre pic.twitter.com/xTvchFYnrO
— King k🇿🇼🇿🇦🇳🇬 (@Mfundo_999) August 16, 2021
Twitter users remembered the leader of the striking mineworkers Mgacineni “Mambush” Noki who was also killed during the massacre.
James Nichol (Deceased miners's families lawyer):#MarikanaMassacre was a joint operation between Lonmin & Police
Lonmin provided Police
*Senior Executive
*Daily briefings
*Helicopters
*Went on surveillance
*Detention facilities
*After killings, Lonmin Game Farm for debriefing pic.twitter.com/wXEONQnP1u— Izwe Lethu (@LandNoli) August 16, 2021
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) held a commemoration of the Marikana Massacre on Monday.
Watch the commemoration courtesy of the SABC:
The union has called for 16 August to become a holiday in honour of the miners who were massacred on the day in 2012.
Advocate Dali Mpofu, who represented the families of the victims of the massacre at The Marikana Commission, was one of the speakers at the commemoration, giving an overview of the events leading to the massacre.
During his address, Mpofu said the massacre was an issue of economic justice which has not been addressed to this day and that the mineworkers were killed because they were poor, black and were demanding a living wage.
Mpofu commended the mineworkers who without any assistance from unions and their leaders had organised and planned the protest in 2012 and had given evidence at The Marikana Commission without any “fancy presentation” when the SAPS had used state resources “to rehearse lies”, some which were contradictory.
Mpofu was expected to present a legal report at the commemoration.
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