RUSTENBURG – Poverty was the root cause of the Marikana tragedy four years ago, North West premier Supra Mahumapelo said on Sunday.

“Poverty forced people to work in the mines, some come from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, the Eastern Cape and other provinces, and neighbouring countries to work in Rustenburg mines,” he said at the launch of the provincial reconciliation, healing, and renewal initiative at Wonderkop, a stone’s throw from the infamous Marikana koppie (hill) at the Nkaneng informal settlement.

Thirty-four Lonmin mineworkers were shot dead at the koppie on August 16, 2012 when police fired at them. The workers were on strike demanding to be paid a minimum monthly salary of R12 500. In the previous week, ten other people, including two Lonmin security guards and two policemen, were killed during the violent strike.

Mahumapelo said that as part of the reconciliation, healing, and renewal initiative, all churches and mining companies would be required to sign a pledge. There was a need to bring unity, renewal, and healing within communities across the province.

“We want to bring unity and reconciliation within the province. It is very important to heal the past wounds. We were able to forgive white people who mistreated our forefather during apartheid; let us not fight each other now,” he said.

White South Africans should also realise that their black counterparts wanted to know the truth of what happened to their next of kin who were still unaccounted for.

“Reconciliation requires the truth; white people must tell the truth of what happened to black people who disappeared without [trace] while working on their farms. They must tell the truth of what happened to people they refused [permission] that they be buried on their farms, some of these people were buried along the roads.”

During the next stage of the programme, families of the 34 mineworkers killed at the koppie, the families of the two policemen and two security guards, as well as police officers who were involved in the shooting would be brought together to be reconciled.

“The trade unions – the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union and the National Union of Mineworkers – will [also] be engaged to reconcile,” Mahumapelo said.