Five years since South Africa's massacre of miners

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South Africa on Wednesday marked the fifth year of the Marikana massacre, when police shot dead 34 striking mineworkers, with commemorations focused on the lack of prosecutions over the killings.

The 34 miners were gunned down after police were deployed to break up a wildcat strike that had turned violent at the Lonmin-owned Marikana platinum mine, northwest of Johannesburg, in August 2012.

It was the worst police violence in South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994.

The Marikana mine workers were gunned down on Aug.16, 2012, after police were deployed to break up a wildcat strike that had turned violent at the Lonmin-owned platinum mine northwest of Johannesburg. /AFP Photo

On Wednesday, family members, miners, trade unionists, activists and politicians gathered at the site of the massacre to honor the victims and call for criminal prosecutions and improved compensation.

An official inquiry established by President Jacob Zuma put much of the blame for the deaths on police tactics used to disperse the 3,000 strikers, but no prosecutions have been brought.

"The tragedy of the Marikana killings is compounded by the shocking fact that no one responsible for the bloodshed has yet been held accountable," said Shenilla Mohamed, director of Amnesty International South Africa.

Miners dance during commemorations to mark the fourth anniversary of the Marikana Massacre in Rustenburg, Aug. 16, 2016. /AFP Photo

She added that the government "needs to ensure that the wheels of justice start turning far faster than they have done over the past five years."

The Pretoria-based Institute of Security Studies (ISS) think tank issued a new report into accountability for the massacre, in which 70 others were injured alongside the 34 dead.

The only person to be penalised over the deaths has been the then national police commissioner Riah Phiyega, who was suspended on full pay in 2015.

Miners gather during a rally on the fourth anniversary of the Marikana Massacre, Aug. 16, 2016, in Rustenburg, South Africa. /AFP Photo

The ISS called for fair compensation for those affected, prosecution of police officers who acted unlawfully, and reforms to police recruitment and training.

"Government must demonstrate to South Africans and the world that the senseless loss of life at Marikana has resulted in lessons learned and will never occur again," said ISS justice specialist Gareth Newham.

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Source(s): AFP