Cattle and goats graze near the infamous koppie where 34 mineworkers were gunned down by police during a strike for higher wages at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine in August 2012. On the eve of its 10th anniversary, the tragedy — which made global headlines — remains etched in memory, a black mark on labour relations in post-apartheid SA.
In 2019 Sibanye-Stillwater acquired Lonmin, which was on the brink of bankruptcy, along with 24,400 employees and contractors at the Marikana operation; it’s the largest employer in the area. For some, very little has changed. High unemployment, low expectations of service delivery and rising crime remain major concerns in the community.
Lesego Makgale, Sibanye’s community engagement and development officer, told journalists on a visit to Marikana this week that the company was working to make a difference in the lives of stakeholders, including host communities and employees.
“We are making strides towards creating a new narrative for Marikana. We will never, ever erase what transpired, hoping that in our lifetime we will never forget what happened.”
Sibanye has plans for a R3.9bn capital investment in the Marikana K4 project, which will sustain jobs for the next 50 years. This makes the area a hotspot for migrant labour.
Baxolele Dubula, 23, who rents a shack a few metres from the koppie, was 13 when the massacre happened. “I have very a vague memory of the massacre because I was young. I am back here to seek job opportunities.”
Xolisa Dako, 54, who lives in one of the shacks near the koppie, says the massacre still haunts him.
“I’m old now but I have never seen such a tragedy with my very eyes. I saw people being killed as if they were mosquitos being sprayed with Doom. We will never witness anything like that in SA again. The scenes during the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng last year do not compare to what I witnessed.”
I want my kids to get a better education so they can avoid following in our footsteps as mine workers
— Xolisa Dako
Reparations will help appease communities affected by the massacre, he says. He also wants education to be a focus for the area.
“I want my kids to get better jobs and get better education so they can choose careers of their choice and not follow in our footsteps of being mineworkers.”
Dako worked at the Rowland shaft until he was retrenched in 2019; little has changed in the area since then.
“There has been no development. Yes, there has been upgrading of clinics but our living situation is temporary. We live in shacks. We also want Sibanye to reinstate employees who were retrenched in 2019.”
Mziwebango Mahangwana has worked at Lonmin operations since 1985 and while salaries have increased since 2012, the mineworkers remain poor.
“Yes, our salaries have improved … but taxes are [part of] salaries. I am struggling. My daughter is in university, that is why I am holding on to my job.
“I don’t have a car. I ride my horse. I also acquired livestock to supplement my salary.”
Mahangwana says he is grateful to Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa for fighting for higher wages.
“Nobody has helped mineworkers like Mathunjwa. As for President Cyril Ramaphosa, I don’t know what mineworkers did to him. I will never forget. How could he order the police to shoot us?”
Ramaphosa, who was a Lonmin nonexecutive director at the time of the massacre, maintains that his references to “concomitant action” to quell the violent strike did not amount to an order for police to kill the mineworkers.
Earlier this month, the South Gauteng High Court found that a case could be made that Ramaphosa, the police and Lonmin colluded in events that led to the killings, but did not find them directly responsible for the deaths. The application was brought by mineworkers seeking compensation from Ramaphosa and Sibanye-Stillwater.
The Farlam commission of inquiry also exonerated Ramaphosa. It recommended that a panel be established to review public order policing and analyse international best practice.
Sibanye-Stillwater says it is focused on dealing with legacy issues by becoming an economic partner through building roads, schools and clinics.
The company has stepped in to ensure social and labour plans are implemented after Lonmin’s commitment to building 5,500 homes for employees fell flat. The miner built only three show houses, blaming the 2008 global financial crash for its broken promises.
The Farlam commission recommended that Lonmin’s failure to comply with its housing obligations under social and labour plans be brought to the attention of the department of mineral resources & energy‚ which should take steps to enforce compliance.
They have agreed to the construction of a memorial at the koppie. We should be able to begin the construction this year
— Thabisile Phumo, executive vice-president for stakeholder relations at Sibanye
Sibanye spokesperson James Wellsted says Lonmin’s position after the global financial crisis was dire.
“We had Marikana and we had the five-month strike in 2014, and that is the reason for their troubles. When we bought them [Lonmin] they were about to go into bankruptcy. They were in a very difficult position on being able to deliver on all of these things. We assessed the risks before proposing the acquisition. We decided to come in and change the future narrative and deal with the legacy. That is what we are busy with.”
Thabisile Phumo, executive vice-president for stakeholder relations at Sibanye, says the company found through a survey that employees preferred rental units rather than owning homes. This prompted a move towards a rental model for housing.
“The studies show that most employees have homes in the Eastern Cape, and they do not want to have dual homes. That is why they are settling for a rental apartment. The impression [was] that the bulk of employees choose informal settlements, [but] the studies don’t show that.”
Sibanye launched a Marikana renewal programme in 2019 and has met stakeholders including local traditional authority Bapo ba Mogale, resulting in the signing of a “relationship agreement”.
In May it held a conference with affected families who want justice, a memorial site, improved livelihoods, health, education and housing.
Phumo says Sibyane has spent the past two years negotiating with the owners of the land to erect a memorial for victims of the tragedy. “They have agreed to the construction of a memorial at the koppie. We should be able to begin the construction this year.”
In 2014, all 44 families who lost loved ones during the violent strike were offered employment on the mine. Phumo says 23 widows took up the offer and have been working at Marikana, along with members of the remaining 21 families. “On our side we are assisting the widows that did not get compensation.”
Themba Nkosi, Sibanye’s chief sustainability officer, says 10 widows are yet to receive compensation.
“Thirty-four received compensation. Our intent is to support the pursuit of justice for the 10 widows. We have set aside R10m for this project and we will partner with like-minded people to get justice.”
Amcu built homes for 28 widows, and the company handed over 8 homes and are completing another 8.
Among others Sibanye contributed R7m towards the Majakaneng Clinic Extension, and R36m for construction of the Leokeng Secondary School.
Semakeleng Sithole, operational manager at the clinic, says they offer all health-care services other than maternity, and about 190 people visit the clinic daily.
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