Communities Affected by Mining United in Action (Makua) accuse the government of caring more about multinational companies than mining communities. Macua is a movement representing communities affected by mining.
On 16 August 2012, a group of Makua members and supporters held a protest outside Parliament to commemorate the Marikana mine workers killed by the police.
Makua says his protest is also about seeking justice for neglected mining communities.
Protesters held placards calling for, among other things, the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Mineral Resources Gwede Montashe, and the repeal of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act.
“The Maricans are a community of miners. We are communities affected by mining and we remember the people of Marikana who simply asked for living wages and were shot. So we are saying that we are the people who are facing the same thing, with mine pollution and polluted water. They kill us like Marikana. The government doesn’t care about us, it cares about multinational companies. They are leaving us alone to die, so we are fighting to be recognized,” says Macao National Coordination Meshack Mbangula.
The 10th commemoration of the Marika massacre victims is taking place in the north-west:
