Thousands of people have converged at Marikana ahead of Sunday’s third anniversary of the massacre which saw 34 people being gunned down during a protest at Lonmin platinum mines.
A total 44 people people were killed in 2012 when Lonmin miners, mostly rock drillers, engaged in an unprotected strike demanding a R12 500 monthly wage increment.
But on August 16 of that year, 34 miners were killed to add to the 10 killed in the preceding days.
Of the 10, two were security guards employed by the mining company, while two were police officers.
One of the scores of people in attendance at the commemoration said all they wanted was justice for the lives that were lost the years ago.
Siyabonga Dumazwane, who has been working as a miner at Lonmin for 15 years said this day brought back painful memories and was hoping that government took responsibility for the killings.
“Today, we celebrate and honour those who died for the R12 500 we demanded. We're also here to celebrate the honour of Mambush who played a huge huge role in during the strike,” said Dumazwane.
The koppie, close to the Nkaneng informal settlement has been a hive of activity since this morning.
Amcu members in their green t-shirts gathered and sang.
Some had travelled as far as Cape Town to be a part of the celebrations.
This year's commemoration comes on the backdrop of the Marikana Commission of Inquiry being released in June.
The findings have been the centre of debate amongst the workers at Marikana who believe it was inaccurate and diverted responsibility from Lonmin and the government.
Pretoria News