JOHANNESBURG, April (ANA) - President Cyril Ramaphosa promised on Saturday that he would visit Marikana in the North West to honour one of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's wishes, and also apologised on behalf of the African National Congress to her and her family for failing to give her the honour she deserved.
Ramaphosa has not set foot in Marikana since 34 people, mostly mineworkers, were shot dead by police on August 16, 2012, during a violent wildcat strike over wages at Lonmin's platinum mine, of which Ramaphosa was a non-executive director at the time.
"Mama, you are gone now. We were still supposed to do a lot of things together. I am going to go to Marikana without you, but I will be guided by your spirit. I know that Julius [Malema, Economic Freedom Fighters leader] will come with me so that we can heal the wounds of those in Marikana," Ramaphosa said at Madikizela-Mandela's funeral in Soweto, Johannesburg.
Ramaphosa said he would move a motion in the ANC for the party to bestow Madikizela-Mandela with the highest honour in its ranks. He said that shortly before Madikizela-Mandela's death they had a conversation about her concerns where she spoke of a desire for unity within the ANC.
"As we bid her farewell, we are forced to admit that too often as she rose, she rose alone. Too often, we were not there for her. She had been left to tend her wounds on her own for most of her life. Left alone to fend for herself only caused her more pain. But she touched our wounds all the time. Mama, I am sorry that your organisation delayed in giving you your honour.
"As president of the African National Congress, I will be proposing to the national executive committee that the ANC award you the highest honour of our movement, Isithwalandwe. You deserve to be awarded the Seaparankoe," Ramahosa said.
- African News Agency (ANA)
