Namuhla iNingizimu Afrika igubha iminyaka eyi-14 yokubulawa kwabantu eMarikana, lapho abasebenzi basezimayini abangu-34 abatelekile babulawa khona kwathi abanye abangu-78 balimala ngokudubulana kweSouth African Police Service emayini yeplatinum yaseLonmin ngomhlaka-16 Agasti 2012. Lo mcimbi, osalokhu usetshenziswa kabi kakhulu ngamaphoyisa ngokumelene nezakhamuzi eNingizimu Afrika kusukela ngo-1976, uyaqhubeka nokuheha imindeni yezisulu kanye nezinhlangano zomphakathi ukuba zenze ubulungiswa kanye nokuziphendulela.

Uhlu Lwesikhathi kanye Nokutholakele Kwekhomishini

Isiteleka saseMarikana saqala mhla ziyi-10 kuNcwaba wezi-2012 lapho abasebenzi basezimayini baseLonmin ababalelwa ku-3,000 baqala isiteleka sokufuna umholo wenyanga ongu-R12,500. Ezinsukwini ezandulela lesi sigameko sokubulawa kwabantu abaningi, izingxabano ezinobudlova zaholela ekufeni kwabantu abayishumi, okuhlanganisa abasebenzi basezimayini, onogada, kanye namaphoyisa. Ngomhla ziyi-16 kuNcwaba, amaphoyisa avulela inhlamvu ngesikhathi sokuma, okwaholela ekufeni kwabantu abangu-34 kanye nokulimala okuningi.

IKhomishini Yophenyo kaFarlam, eyasungulwa ngemuva kwalokho, ithole ukuthi umsebenzi wamaphoyisa 'wawunephutha ngokweqhinga' futhi kwakungafanele uqhubeke njengoba kwakuhleliwe. Owayengumongameli uJacob Zuma, ekhipha umbiko wekhomishini ngo-2015, uthe, “Ikhomishini ithole ukuthi umsebenzi wamaphoyisa kwakungafanele wenzeke ngenxa yamaphutha ohlelweni [lwamaqhinga].” Ikhomishini iphinde yagcizelela ukwehluleka kweLonmin ukuletha izindlu ezithembisiwe zabasebenzi, njengoba kwakhiwe ezintathu kuphela kwezindlu ezingu-5,500 ezathenjiswa ngosuku lokubulawa kwabantu.

Ifa Eliqhubekayo Nokubaluleka Kwesizwe

Ukubulawa kwabantu eMarikana kuqhathaniswe kakhulu nokubulawa kwabantu eSharpeville ngo-1960 ngenxa yobukhulu bako kanye nemiphumela yezepolitiki. Ukugxekwa kwezinqubomgomo zikahulumeni zabasebenzi kanye namaphoyisa kwanda ngemuva kwalokho, futhi lesi sigameko sisalokhu siyisikhathi esibalulekile emlandweni waseNingizimu Afrika wangemva kobandlululo. I-Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), eholwa nguJoseph Mathunjwa, idlale indima ebalulekile ngesikhathi sesiteleka, kanti iNational Union of Mineworkers (NUM) ayizange ivume lesi senzo.

Izikhalazo zomphakathi nezomnotho ziyaqhubeka, nemindeni eminingi yezisulu ifuna ubulungiswa kanye nezimo zokuphila ezithuthukisiwe. Njengoba iKhomishini kaFarlam iphawulile, “Inani elikhulu labasebenzi baseLonmin bahlala ezindaweni zokuhlala ezingahlelekile… okudala indawo evumela ukudaleka kokungezwani, udlame lwabasebenzi, ukwahlukana phakathi kwabasebenzi bayo noma okunye ukuziphatha okulimazayo.” Inkumbulo yalesi sibhicongo ibumba izingxoxo mayelana nokuziphendulela kwezinkampani kanye nohulumeni, kuyilapho izikhumbuzo ziqhubeka nokugqamisa isidingo sokuguqulwa kwesistimu ukuvikela amalungelo abasebenzi nokuvimbela izinhlekelele ezifanayo.

Imicimbi yokukhumbula eMarikana kuleli sonto kulindeleke ukuthi ifake izicelo zentuthuko entsha kwezobulungiswa kanye nokuguqulwa kwamaphoyisa, phakathi kwezimfuno eziqhubekayo zesinxephezelo kanye nokuziphendulela kulabo abathintekile.