South African women protest in the aftermath of the killing of over 30 miners by the police on August 16, 2012. President Zuma has expressed shock and dismay., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
The first anniversary of the deaths in Marikana, North West Province
16 August 2013
44 people lost their lives in Marikana in the days leading up and including the 16th August 2013. The African National Congress together with the country was shocked and saddened by the deaths which the ANC still maintains could and should have been avoided.
A year since Marikana happened, the African National Congress continues to mourn the lives of the striking miners, security guards and policemen who died during the most tragic unrest since the dawn the democracy. Our thoughts are with the many families, friends and colleagues who lost loved ones and whose lives were altered forever on those fateful days.
Marikana was a startling and traumatic rapture in what had always been a healthy climate of our labour relations framework; bringing harshly to the fore more questions than answers. Questions, which today still remain, unanswered. The fact that violence has continued unabated in Marikana to date is a tragedy of epic proportions, pointing to deep-seated challenges in the region and its politics.
The African National Congress trusts that the Farlam Commission will soon conclude its work so that the country and the world can know and understand what transpired in Marikana. We cannot however allow a situation where criminal elements undermine the rule of law under the guise of labour unrest in Marikana. The South African Police Service must, without fear of favour, restore order and peace in the region, upholding the memory of the compatriots who lost their lives in Marikana.
The many lives lost in Marikana cannot be in vain. Those who were responsible must be prosecuted. The people who continue to terrorise the community of Marikana must be brought to book. Peace loving South Africans should commit themselves to ensuring that such a calamity never befalls our country again.
Issued by
Jackson Mthembu
National Spokesperson
African National Congress
Enquiries
Keith Khoza: 0828239672
Khusela Sangoni-Khawe: 0795105408
Remarks made by the ANC North West Province on activities to commemorate the Marikana tragedy
16 August 2013
The African National Congress regrets the callous remarks made by our ANC structure in the North West Province regarding their intention to not participate in activities to commemorate the Marikana tragedy. These remarks do not reflect the views of the African National Congress as a whole and are extremely unfortunate given the still very painful memory of the suffering of the victims, families and community of Marikana.
The ANC respects the right of anyone to organise and participate in any gathering that seeks to soothe and heal the wounds that were caused by the Marikana tragedy. No one should ever seek to determine and direct how people must mourn nor contest ownership of the right to mourn. The pain of the people of Marikana must never be turned into a popularity contest with all vying for attention and making a mockery of the real agony suffered by our people.
The National Deployees of the African National Congress will seek an urgent meeting with the North West Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC to correct them in their extremely unfortunate views on the activities commemorating the Marikana tragedy. We thus restate our earlier statement that our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and colleagues who lost loved ones and whose lives were altered forever as we mourn the 44 lives lost during the unrest in Marikana last year.
Issued by
Jackson Mthembu
National Spokesperson
African National Congress
Enquiries
Keith Khoza: 082 823 9672
Khusela Sangoni-Khawe: 079 510 5408
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