On 16 August 2024, the twelfth anniversary of the Marikana massacre, the Daily Maverick published an op-ed written by SERI's Justin Winchester and Grace Gomba entitled, 'this Women’s Month, the state must honour the plight of the women of Marikana'. The op-ed juxtaposes the state's commemoration of the historic women's movement in August, with its continued denial of justice to the women of Marikana.
The authors write, "Each year on 9 August, the South African government commemorates Women’s Day, honouring the Women’s March of 1956. Last week’s National Women’s Day was no different. In the same month, for nearly 12 years, we have marked the anniversary of the Marikana massacre that to this day significantly affects the women and children of the deceased and injured mineworkers."
Winchester and Gomba argue that,
"This year, as the state commemorates the 68th anniversary of the Women’s March and celebrates Women’s Month this August, it should do right by the women who live their lives as if 1956, and 1994, meant nothing.
The state must honour the plight of the women of Marikana by issuing an apology, taking accountability for the disruption and loss it has caused and expediting the finalisation of all outstanding compensatory claims."
>> Read the full op-ed here.