Our past is like a shadow, always following us as we navigate the present. But this country is endangered by the inability of its leaders and others in positions of power to fully understand the past.
They, and we, are trapped in a factional understanding of where we come from, thus forcing us to tell the story that best agrees with our present factional alignment.
As we remember all those who died at Marikana, we should not sacrifice the truth in order to preserve our preferred narrative.
People died that day on August 16 2012.
The Farlam Commission of Inquiry is trying to unearth the truth and give us a clear picture of what happened before, during and after the massacre.
There are those who say it was not a massacre but a labour dispute that ended in death. But remember, we have been on this road before, when the deaths of 69 people in the 1960 Sharpeville massacre were described as "unfortunate".
The Marikana massacre will not go away, no matter how hard those with the power to influence our history try to sweep it under the rug.
For us to remember those who died on August 16 2012 we must face the truth, no matter how unpalatable.
Mine bosses, union leaders and politicians all failed the people of Marikana but the blame game continues to feed into our present political viewpoints.
This country has many unsung heroes whose legacy has been air-brushed out of our history and from today's narratives.
The ruling party has a duty not only to tell of its own history but also to give a voice to those who do not fit into its narrative.
The history of the Marikana massacre has to be told in its totality.
- As we bring our brother back home, the life and times of Nat Nakasa have to be celebrated.
He, together with countless other black journalists who risked all to unearth the truth, should be honoured and celebrated.
Their legacy, too, should be acknowledged when we reflect on the life of Nakasa.
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