Marikana, Rustenburg – Political parties called for peace and reconciliation as Friday marked the first anniversary of the shooting of 34 people in Marikana, North West.

“Marikana was a startling and traumatic rupture in what had always been a healthy climate of our labour relations framework, bringing harshly to the fore more questions than answers,” African National Congress spokesman Jackson Mthembu said in a statement.

He called for peace in the area and for those responsible for the deaths to be prosecuted.

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said the killings should never be repeated.

“We must all work to ensure that a tragedy of this kind is never repeated, and that all South Africans can come to feel included in a national economy that creates jobs and shared prosperity for all.”

Reconciliation and peace should be encouraged, Agang SA leader Mamphele Ramphele said.

“As we honour all those who died at Marikana, we must encourage a spirit of reconciliation backed by practical steps so that all concerned parties can work together to finally bring peace to Marikana.”

Peace was important for the area’s economy because it depended on the surrounding mines, she said.

“Investing in peace involves promoting greater inclusion in the benefits of mining for all.”

Thirty-four miners were killed on August 16 last year when police fired on them while trying to disperse and disarm them at Lonmin’s operations in Marikana.

Another 10 people were killed in strike-related violence in the preceding week.

Sapa