Mogoeng says that the Marikana massacre should never have happened
- Chief Justice Mogoeng has raised concerns about the Marikana massacre and the way it was handled
- He said it served as an example of poor South African leadership
- Mogoeng also questioned whether those responsible have been held accountable
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Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng says that the Marikana massacre should never have happened.
Mogoeng made the statement in a new interview with SABC News.
His comments come short after the seventh anniversary of the massacre.
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"Have we made it our business to make sure that everybody who was directly or indirectly involved in that tragic event was held accountable properly?" Mogoeng said during the interview.
The Chief Justice - who has recently been honoured as a guardian of good governance - pointed to Marikana as an example of the poor ways in which some South African leaders handle problems, Briefly.co.za has gathered.
The massacre took place on 12 August 2012 at a Lonmin platinum mine. Workers at the mine were calling for a R12 000 salary increase, according to the SABC. When negotiations between workers and management reached a deadlock, the workers engaged in strike action.
Police intervened to break up the strike, which resulted in 34 miners being shot.
The incident left a massive mark on the country, drawing comparisons to the 1960 Sharpeville massacre.
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Speaking on the incident, Mogoeng raised questions about how the massacre and its aftermath was handled. For example, he questioned whether the truth had been told or if the narrative had been altered "in such a way as to shift blame to those who have very little to protect themselves with".
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Source: Briefly News
