Marikana wounds fester

A 65-Year-old mother and grandmother faces a daily struggle to put food on the table for her family. Their breadwinner was shot dead a year ago today near Marikana by the police.

Nomawabo Sompeta lost her only working son, Mzukisi Sompeta, in the massacre. He was one of the 34 miners killed on August 16 last year while demanding higher wages at Lonmin's platinum mine near Marikana, in North West.

Further tragedy befell the Lusikisiki family only weeks later when Sompeta buried her husband, Mxolisi, who died while watching a video clip of the shootings.

Mzukisi was the family's sole breadwinner. Sompeta receives a state grant but it is not enough to feed and care for eight people.

In the past year they have received only a once-off payment from Lonmin, related to Mzukisi's salary benefits.

Life for another family affected by the tragedy, also in Eastern Cape, will never be the same.

The five children of miner Phumzile Sokhanyile, who was also killed in the massacre, said they often went to school hungry because their unemployed mother could not afford to feed them.

The children's aunt, Noncedo Ngxaki, said the situation was "torture" for the children.

"The five children are struggling. They can't run to their grandmother because she died after she heard of her son's death," said Ngxaki.

When The Times visited the family at their home in Mdumazulu, near Ngqeleni, the children's mother, Philiswa, was in Rustenburg attending the commemoration of the first anniversary of the massacre.

Two children were cooking over a fire inside the mud rondavel. The eldest, Yolanda, 13, said their mother had told them to use the fire for cooking to save electricity.

"It's dangerous [cooking over an open flame] but we don't have a choice because we don't have any luxury any more," said the Grade 7 pupil. "Life is not the same any more for us."

It was a year ago today that the Marikana massacre took place but many families still have no answers about what really happened on that day.

The Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the massacre has been bedevilled by problems and delays.

The commission's chairman, retired judge Ian Farlam, has voiced his frustration at the many impediments to uncovering the truth about the unrest that killed 44 people and left scores injured.

The commission has held 114 sessions and heard submissions and evidence running to more than 12000 pages.

Farlam bemoaned the slow pace , saying "the process has not been as speedy as any of us would have wished".

Sompeta said the family just wanted closure.

"I want answers. Why was my son killed like a dog?"

Mzukisi, the 36-year-old father of a 12-year-old girl, was one of 28 miners from Eastern Cape that were killed.

Fighting to hold back tears, Sompeta blamed the police for robbing her of her son.

"Today it's easy for us to go to bed with just water in our stomachs - this is not a lie. A year later I can't believe that my son is gone. The police have robbed us."

Mzukisi's sister, Nomkhitha, has been attending the commission proceedings in Pretoria on behalf of the family.

"This is something that was supposed to be finished within a few months but it's dragging on and all they discuss is how they will get paid. What about the families?" Nomkhitha asked.

"Six lawyers represent the police but more than 200 injured victims and dead miners are represented by just two lawyers."