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“These are God’s people, we need to respect the dignity and sanctity of their lives,” he said.
A few men, introduced as community leaders, were invited to sit on the stage in a marquee erected for the service to honour the dead miners in Marikana.
When a leader from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) arrived with a group of men, some carrying sticks, the crowd started murmuring and whispering. Thirty-four people were killed and 78 injured when police shot at striking workers at Lonmin’s mine last Thursday. Another 10 people were killed in violent protests the preceding week.
The protests were believed to be linked to rivalry between the National Union of Mineworkers and the Amcu over recognition agreements at the mine.
Several political leaders attended the service. Expelled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema was seen holding hands with United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa and suspended ANCYL secretary general Sindiso Magaqa.
The mourners were asked to hold hands during a prayer to show their unity. Praying for the injured, a priest said: “Heal us as well.” He and several other clerics took turns in leading the service in prayer.
As this continued, some mourners closed their eyes, some held onto each other, others held hands.
Photographers and reporters also held hands.
Those in attendance included Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, Co-operative Governance Minister Richard Baloyi, North West Premier Thandi Modise and Rustenburg Mayor Mpho Khonou.
Meanwhile, reporting from the site of the shooting in Marikana yesterday, Al Jazeera’s Haru Mutasa said the mood was tense.
She said the miners and the mining community told the ANC-led government, which had planned to hold an official memorial service yesterday at the site of the shootings, that they would not be dictated to and that they would hold their own service.
Mutasa said the incident was giving rise to a political battle, with public criticism growing against the government’s handling of the police shooting.
Malema, expelled leader of the ANC Youth League, and his former party held their own memorial service near the venue for the planned government memorial service. It was well attended by mourners and by families of the deceased.
President Jacob Zuma did not attend the service.
Malema, who spoke at the service, had in the previous days publicly criticised the government and President Zuma.
He said the government had turned on the people and he urged the workers to continue their strike.
Malema also led miners to a police station on Tuesday to open a murder case against the policemen who opened fire on the striking miners.
The violence began when mine workers demanding a 300 percent pay rise began the strike, which degenerated into clashes as police clashed with armed miners.
Meanwhile, a turf war between the ANC-allied National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the rival Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) — which spilled over to other mines along the platinum belt on Wednesday — is raising fears that anger over low wages and poor living conditions could generate fresh violence.
President Zuma yesterday named a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the killing of 44 people last week in a strike at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine.
“It has been directed to investigate matters of public, national and international concern rising out of the events in Marikana which led to the deaths of approximately 44 people, the injury of more than 70 persons and the arrest of more than 250 people,” Zuma said in a televised statement.
The probe will cover mining company Lonmin, rival unions Amcu and the NUM, the government, the police, and any individuals involved in the deadly conflict.
Retired appeals court judge Ian Farlam will head the three-person commission.
Two other commissioners, advocate Bantubonke Tokota and advocate Pinglar Hemraj, would assist Farlam.
The wide-ranging inquiry was given four months to complete its investigation and another month to submit its report.
The commission will look not only at security issues, but also at broader concerns about labour policies and working conditions, Zuma said. — AFP/Sapa.
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