Memory of Marikana remains painful: Archbishop Makgoba
Forty-four lives were lost in August 2012 in Marikana.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, patron of the Marikana Renewal Programme, expressed that the memory of the 2012 Marikana massacre continues to cause pain in South Africa due to the unresolved issues it raises. At the seventh Annual Marikana Commemoration Lecture, he highlighted the country's ongoing struggle for justice, compassion, and unity.
The Archbishop noted that the event prompts essential questions about whether the nation has taken sufficient measures to prevent future suffering, restore dignity, listen to workers and families, and rebuild trust. He emphasized that while hope has emerged, it does not imply that hardship has ceased and that progress requires collective effort rather than individual action.
Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Richard Stewart echoed these sentiments, stating that the company inherited more than a mining asset upon taking over in 2019. They inherited grief, mistrust, and unfinished conversations. Stewart emphasized that inheriting the responsibility for Marikana operations meant recognizing the opportunity to build a different future.
He stressed that no single stakeholder in South Africa can resolve the challenges alone; progress is only possible through partnership over division.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
