The Anniversary of the Marikana Tragedy

16 August 2016

The ANC wishes to join the community of Marikana in commemorating the tragic loss of lives during the 2012 mining strikes, this period will forever leave a blemish in our young democracy.

We call on all South Africans to draw lessons from Marikana about the importance of peaceful resolutions to conflicts in the workplace, to ensure that we never experience a similar incident.

We must never forget that a genuine campaign for workers' rights, including decent working and living conditions, was at the heart of the Marikana conflict. It is for that reason that the ANC calls on all stakeholders to use this occasion to work together and refocus their energies towards bringing lasting stability in the area. This can only be achieved by meaningfully redressing structural inequalities that still persist in the workplace, especially in the mining industry.

We urge government to partner with the mines to accelerate the programme of revitalising mining towns, which will prioritize housing, access to services and development of local economies. We also call on Lonmin to fast-track its transformation and social responsibility agenda to build better living conditions around the mining area.

The ANC will continue to work with the Marikana community to build social cohesion; working together we can transform Marikana into a beacon of Hope, in honour of those we lost.

Statement issued by Zizi Kodwa, ANC national spokesperson, 16 August 2016