Marikana Survivors Still Want an Apology and Compensation From President Cyril Ramaphosa 11 Years Later

• Survivors of the Marikana massacre continue to demand compensation and an apology from President Cyril Ramaphosa 11 years later
• Despite losing hope in an apology, survivors are pursuing a civil case against Ramaphosa and the mining company for their suffering
• South Africans have also commemorated the deaths of the 34 miners on social media and demanded justice

JOHANNESBURG - Suriviours of the gruesome Marikana massacre say they will continue to push for compensation and an apology from President Cyril Ramaphosa.

It has been 11 years since the police killed 34 mineworkers during intense protests for wages. Over 70 people survived the brutality but were injured in the process.

Lawyer says mineworkers losing hope

According to Attorney Andries Nkome, the lawyer representing the mineworkers, the survivors are losing hope the president will apologise. Nkome spoke on Newzroom Afrika and said the survivors believe Ramaphosa was one of the architects of the massacre.

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"As time goes by, our clients start to lose hope in the fact that those believe caused the massacre will apologise," said Nkome.

Even though they are losing hope, Nkome says the Marikana victims are continuing with their civil case against Ramaphosa and others, such as the mining company they worked to seek compensation for their pain and suffering.

At the time of the massacre in 2012, Ramaphosa was a shareholder and a non-executive board member at Lomin (now Sibayne Stillwater), reports IOL.

Ramaphosa has apologised, but survivors are not happy with the apology because they feel it was veiled. Advocate Dali Mpofu said there was an email sent by Ramaphosa which strongly condemned the protest action 24 hours before lives were lost.

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South Africans remember the Marikana massacre

@LRCSouthAfrica said:

"In the 11 years since the #MarikanaMassacre, no one has been criminally convicted. The families of the victims have not received justice or been fully compensated for the loss of their loved ones."

@goolammv said:

"On this day, we remember the people killed in Marikana by the Jacob Zuma government. Zuma used the most lethal force against civilians since the Soweto uprising in 1976. The people responsible for this & should be held accountable are Jacob Zuma, Nathi Mthethwa and Riah Phiyega."

@Nhleiks5 said:

"Till this day, the spiteful pathological liar Cyril Ramaphosa hasn't kept the promise he made to Mama Winnie Mandela of visiting the #MarikanaMassacre widows, sies!!!"

Marikana massacre: Benchmarks Foundation calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign

Briefly News previously reported that the Bench Marks Foundation says it’s been 10 years since the Marikana massacre, and President Cyril Ramaphosa has not apologised for his involvement. The organisation is calling for Ramaphosa to resign from the presidency and be arrested.

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The massacre left 34 mine workers dead and 78 injured. The foundation’s chairperson, Bishop Jo Seoka, said Ramaphosa has failed to apologise and show remorse for the deaths and injuries, SABC News reported.

The foundation wants the president to stand before a judge and account for his involvement in the massacre.

Source: Briefly News