Strike leader Mgcineni ‘Mambush’ Noki, also known as the man in the green blanket, rallies the mine workers on the koppie.
Leon Sadiki
Cry of the Xcluded, a community based social cohesion movement, is calling for the reparations for the victims and families of the 2012 Marikana massacre.
The Marikana massacre occurred 11 years ago in the North West. Forty-four people were killed, dozens injured and hundreds arrested.
Who are Cry of the Xcluded?
The organisation Cry of the Xcluded was launched in February 2012 by the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and Assembly of the Unemployed (AoU).
Their stated goal was “to unite the working class – employed and unemployed – in the struggle for jobs, services and dignity”.
“It is our collective responsibility to seek justice and provide restitution to those who have suffered immeasurable loss,” Xcluded spokesperson Motsi Khokhoma said in light of the 11 year anniversary of the Marikana tragedy.
Khokhoma said the incident shook the nation to its core and left an un-erasable scar.
READ: Community questions why Marikana tragedy is not remembered as a holiday
“We need to address a matter of great urgency and moral significance – the quest for justice for the victims and families of the Marikana Massacre. As responsible and compassionate citizens, we must demand justice for those whose lives were forever altered on that fateful day.”
Khokhoma said the pain endured by the families of the victims was unimaginable:
The void left by the loss of a loved one, a breadwinner, a parent or a friend is a wound that never truly heals. But it is not just the families who suffered; it is all of us.
He said the movement demands justice for the victims and their families.
“Justice, in this case, is not just a legal process, it is a fundamental act of recognising the rights of individuals and holding those responsible for this tragedy accountable. We must fight for justice because it is a moral imperative.”
The movement stated that the Marikana massacre exposed the harsh realities faced by workers, the deep inequalities in society and the need for accountability.
They claim that promises made by Lonmin in Marikana are yet to be fulfilled.
The movement claimed:
Lonmin has still not fulfilled its promise to build 2 000 houses in Marikana as recommended by the Farlam Commission and the worker’s living conditions.
EFF president Julius Malema said: “Marikana serves as an umbilical cord that should forever tie us to the struggle and commitment to the principles and non-negotiable cardinal pillars of achieving economic freedom in our lifetime.”
READ: Marikana massacre | Horror on the koppie: Never forget
Malema added:
Today marks 11 years since the Marikana massacre occurred and we still dip our revolutionary banner in honour of the fearless and undeterred fighters who paid the price with their lives for demanding a living wage of R12 500.
In a statement, the ANC said there must be change in the face of the mining industry and to guarantee miners’ rights – the ANC-led government introduced progressive laws to regulate the mining industry and other sectors of the economy.
The ruling party stated that in partnership with other stakeholders, multidisciplinary interventions are being undertaken in Marikana to alleviate the plight of the community.
An agricultural hub was established, which created 500 jobs and R170m was paid as reparations to the widows and families of the tragedy, said the party.
According to the ANC, a clinic and community hall was built in Marikana and land worth R80m was donated to build houses, and plans are underway to erect a memorial site.
READ: Solicitor-General promises to resolve Marikana claims before end of the month
The ANC also condemned the usage of the Marikana tragedy as a political tool.
The statement reads:
Insensitive and opportunistic populism and deliberate peddling of misinformation about the tragedy and its aftermath is highly regrettable. It is done at the expense of healing and national unity in a desperate attempt to gain political mileage.