WATCH | 'We shall never forget': ANC on 7th anniversary of Marikana massacre

As a country, we will never be able to erase the tragedy of the Marikana massacre, the ANC said on Friday.

On August 16 2012, 34 mine workers were gunned down during a standoff with police while protesting for higher pay and better living conditions.

“The ANC stands with every mother, father, son and daughter, brother and sister who lost a loved one during that entire period,” ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said in a statement.  

“We shall endeavour never to forget their memories. As the ruling party of South Africa, we acknowledge that the Marikana tragedy occurred on our watch, and we shall never shirk in our duty nor hide behind platitudes to recognise that it did.”

The opposition DA has consistently suggested that the ANC was to blame for the incident, and suggested that nothing had been done to adequately compensate victims. 

“It has been seven years since the government-inflicted tragedy and the victims’ families and loved ones have yet to see justice served,” said DA national spokesperson Solly Malatsi.

“Up until this day, the ANC government has failed to take any responsibility for the deadliest incident of state violence in post-apartheid South Africa,” he said. 

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