#Marikana



Picture sourced from
http://www.google.co.za/imgres?q=lonmin+massacre&um

 


34 killed and 78 injured.  August 16 2012 marks a very sad day in the history books of South Africa.  The Lonmin massacre will remain a raw wound for many lives and families of those directly affected the government and the rest of South Africans who followed the incidents.  A massacre in the name of a wage increase?  Surely this indicates an issue greater than wages.   


The news broke on the news and spread like wild fire on social media.  Many different journalists covered the story including   Cathy Mohlahlana,   Sipho Hlongwane and Carien du Plessis.  On the day the story broke everyone on social networks particularly twitter tweeted about the story with shock and outrage.  The nation was shocked at the drastic response of the SAPS but there were those who sided with the police saying that the miners should not have gone on protests armed with knives and knobkerries.

Sipho Hlongwane who is a columnist for the Daily Maverick tweeted intensively about the massacre on the week. He wrote after President Jacob Zuma announced that he would launch a commission of enquiry into the shooting,  “The commission should specifically establish who authorized the use of live ammunition on the striking workers, within the context of how the SA Police Service managed violent strikes.”  He had strong commentary that was published in the Daily Maverick.

Carien du Plesis, a reporter for the City Press did not report as much about lonmin as Sipho Hlongwane however she did tweet a lot about it. Her tweets can be found in the attached print screen attached.

Cathy Mohlahlane is an award winning broadcast journalist who now reports for eNCA.  She tweeted and also covered the story for the e news channel.

Workers and Lonmin mine s still have not come to any agreement. Talks between relevant stakeholders continue.