Calls for President Ramaphosa to apologise & step aside over Marikana massacre

Whether President Cyril Ramaphosa has ever set foot in Marikana is a question which continues to occupy many people’s minds, a decade after the Marikana massacre.

Wednesday (August 16) will mark the 10th anniversary of the Marikana massacre where 34 mineworkers were brutally shot and killed by the police.

Mineworkers at the time, had been on a strike, demanding improved salaries but the situation became volatile in the days leading up to August 16 where security officials were also killed.

Ramaphosa was a non-executive director at the then Lonmin Platinum Mine during the tragic events of August 2012.

It was a series of emails exchanged between Ramaphosa and Lonmin’s board, a day before the massacre wherein he shows eagerness to end the conflict. However, it was the choice of words that seemed to indicate that he opted for a ‘heavy-handed’ approach to end the strike.

Lonmin has since been acquired by Sibanye-Stillwater.

Ramaphosa demanded that ‘concomitant action’ be taken against the striking mineworkers but he has since apologized for his choice of words.

It is now a decade since the massacre and Ramaphosa is yet to set foot in Marikana or meet with the families of the deceased.

Speaking to The Citizen on Monday, Bishop Jo Seoka, who played a leading role in ending the strike and was present during the deadly shooting, said Ramaphosa fears admitting his guilt if he were to go and apologize to the families of the deceased.

“If he (Ramaphosa) went to apologize, the man must be prosecuted for collusion that caused the massacre, even the high court recently found that he has a case to answer… to date the man has not shown remorse,” Seoka said.

The South Gauteng High Court recently ruled in an application by workers seeking compensation against the president and mine owners Sibanye Stillwater that Ramaphosa might be liable in the 2012 Marikana debacle.

While welcoming the court ruling, Ramaphosa slammed the “politicization” of the 2012 tragedy.

When asked for comment on whether Ramaphosa intends visiting Marikana and if the government will take part in this year’s 10th commemoration of the massacre, spokesperson for the Presidency Vincent Magwenya referred The Citizen to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), saying they would have to say who they have invited.

Amcu has for the past 10 years been leading the main commemoration events held at the koppie, the place where the tragedy took place.

Pressed further on whether the president intends going to Marikana at some point, Magwenya replied: “Once there’s alignment and support from all key stakeholders and I won’t comment further than what I have said.”

Meanwhile, Seoka stressed that Ramaphosa has to publicly apologize, face prosecution and step aside while the Marikana matter is being finalized.

Rehad Desai, who produced the Miners Shot Down documentary, echoed Seoka’s sentiments, saying Ramaphosa’s apology was absolutely important for the widows who feel aggrieved.

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