Tuesday marked 10 years since Lonmin shot dead 34 protesting miners live on television. Amcu held a special event to celebrate today’s anniversary.
Widows of some of the victims of the Marikana massacre at the 10th commemoration ceremony on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. Photo: Abigail Javier/Eyewitness News.
MARRICANA – The widows of miners killed by police in Marikana in August 2012 have said it is unfair that no one has been brought to justice.
Tuesday marked 10 years since Lonmin shot dead 34 protesting miners live on television. Ten other people were killed a week before the massacre.
The Association of Miners and Construction Union (Amcu) held a special event to mark today’s anniversary.
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Speaking on behalf of the widows of the slain Lonmin miners, Nosile Ngoi blasted the state for failing to bring those responsible for the mass killing to justice. “We want everyone involved in the murders to be brought to justice. We want to see them in prison,” she said.
Amcu held an event on Tuesday themed ’10 years of betrayal’ and said no one had been brought to justice for the 2012 killings.
The widows of the dead miners also repeatedly called to declare August 16 a national holiday.
“DO NOT LOSE HOPE FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE”
One of the survivors of the Marikana massacre, Mzoxala Magidiwane, urged hundreds of people gathered in Vonderkop, including the widows of the slain miners, not to lose hope in the search for justice.
He explained that although it may take some time, eventually the people who “spilled” blood in Marikana will be brought to justice.
Magidiwane, who also faced prosecution for the violence that took place days before August 16, 2012, said the truth would take the burden off them.
According to Magidivan, he still feels pain when he speaks out loud because of the bullets that remain in his body. “In the case of Ramaphosa, we will not stop pursuing his prosecution because the government has said they are busy with reparations. We will not stop, our lives are worth more than their money,” he added.
Magidivan explained that because of the pain he has caused, he does not forgive either President Cyril Ramaphosa or former President Jacob Zuma, who was in charge of the government when the police shot dead the miners 10 years ago.
“We cannot be patient for too long while we live with the consequences of the shooting. To this day, I can feel the bullet wounds pulling me. The pain is unbearable,” Magidivan explained.
Other survivors and Amcu leaders also addressed the gathering on Tuesday afternoon.
WATCH: It’s all falling apart: A timeline of the events leading up to the Marikana massacre
