Category: Newsletter August 2021

9 years after the Marikana massacre: Families and community still waiting for justice

16 August marks the 9th anniversary of the Marikana massacre. This year’s commemorations in South Africa, like last year’s, take place in a special context. The third wave of the Corona pandemic, which has been underway in South Africa since mid-June and has claimed many victims, and the measures adopted by the government to contain it, do not allow for large events. The commemorative events will be held mainly online and if analogue, then only on a small scale. More serious than the Corona pandemic for this year’s context in South Africa is the death of 332 people in riots between 9 and 16 July. Full article

Bishop Jo Seoka, Chair of the Bench marks Foundation

August 16th, 2021 marks nine years of untold consequences of police brutality on the koppie at Marikana. Truth be told, it was an unprecedented development ignited by years of exploitation as a result of migratory labour system to elect black lives for another massacre in a democracy.
All that the workers wanted and appealed for to the employer, Lonmin was a living wage. Instead, they got live ammunition rewarding them with death and graves and not money or decent housing.

The Zuma saga nearly reminded us of what we wish to forget despite the reality of history repeating itself. Full article

Sibanye-Stillwater’s newly initiated programme for the legacy and future of Marikana has not yet led to a comprehensive change, as the answers to our questions at the AGM at the end of May 2021 show.

by Tilman Massa, Ethical Shareholders Germany

After Sibanye-Stillwater acquired Lonmin in June 2019 and became one of the world’s largest platinum groups, the U.S.-South African company must also address the handling and legacy of Marikana.

In the Marikana massacre that occurred at Lonmin’s South African platinum mine on Aug. 16, 2012, 34 miners who were on strike for better working and living conditions were shot dead by police. Full article

In the following we bring an account by SERI on two recent criminal trials in the wake of the Marikana Massacre.

The trial relating to the deaths of three mineworkers (Mr. Semi Jokanisi, Mr. Thembelakhe Mati and Mr. Pumzile Sokanyile) and two officers (Warrant Officer Tsietsi Hendrik Monene, and Warrant Officer Sello Ronnie Lepaauku) resumed on 26 July 2021. The trial relating to the death of Mr. Motiso Otsile van Wyk Sagalala was concluded on 29 March 2021.
Between 13 and 16 August 2012, 37 mineworkers were shot while protesting to demand a living wage and better working conditions in Marikana. Full article