Marikana Massacre: Associations Call for Justice for Families and Survivors 9 Years Later

• The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and Amnesty International South Africa (AISA) are calling for justice
• The above is with regards to the Marikana tragedy which occurred nearly a decade ago and claimed the lives of 34 mineworkers
• Families of the deceased and survivors of the tragedy have yet to be compensated over the horrific incident and are seeking justice

Two letters have reportedly been written by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The letters revolve around requesting the president to speed up the process to compensate the families and victims of the Marikana tragedy.

Reports say that no reply has yet been received. The news comes as the ninth anniversary of the Marikana tragedy is marked. A total of 34 miners were killed in a hail of bullets fired by the South African Police Service, a number of other mine workers were injured.

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Amnesty International South Africa (AISA) revealed that it believes it is unacceptable that there has been no compensation or any form of redress that had been put forward by Government over the Marikana tragedy.

According to SABC News, Joseph Mathunjwa, President of the AMCU, stated that the Marikana tragedy will be virtually commemorated on Monday, 16 August. A report by EWN revealed that AISA's Executive Director Shenilla Mohamed stated that the families and general public need closure and accountability from the SA government.

Mohamed said that it is unacceptable that nearly a decade later, families are still looking for justice for the loss of their loved ones.

Advocate Dali Mpofu says that the Marikana tragedy is part of SA's dark history

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In similar news, Briefly News reported that Advocate Dali Mpofu, who is the former legal representative of the families of mineworkers who were murdered in what is known as the Marikana Massacre, says that the incident will always be part of South Africa's darkest history.

According to Mpofu, the massacre would be remembered as the country's worst post-apartheid human catastrophe, reports SABC News.

Mpofu contended that the Marikana miners were slain because they wanted to be free of the previous government's colonial and apartheid chains.

Mpofu praised the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union's leadership for remaining "steadfast" in commemorating the massacre. AMCU hosted a virtual lecture for the ninth annual commemoration of the Marikana mineworkers, reports the Daily Maverick.

Source: Briefly News