Marikana anniversary raised more public debate, but where does Ramaphosa fit in?

This year’s anniversary of the “Marikana massacre” raised more public debate than any other.

I listened to and read varying opinions, with some debating whether it was a massacre or merely a tragedy that should never be allowed to happen again.

Of special interest to me what whether President Cyril Ramaphosa was truly responsible for the killings in the manner some suggested in the raging public debate.

Even the SA Broadcasting corporation got caught up in the narrative the massacre happened because of Ramaphosa’s statement prior to the shootings.

From Sakina Kamwendo on Morning Live right up to news bulletins and all current affairs shows on Monday, the message was that he was responsible.

I know that for the smaller political parties, the Marikana massacre anniversary has become a chance to charge their flat political batteries.

Old and new political startups were there virtually on Monday to boost their political standing. Since 16 August, 2012, when the shootings happened, my concern had been the obsession with one individual when there were a lot of factors at play around the tragedy.

How could a shareholder director of a private company order the police to shoot at striking mineworkers when they don’t take orders from him in terms of official protocol?

The police fall under the political oversight of the minister of police, who was Nathi Mthethwa at the time, and the president, who was Jacob Zuma.

Ramaphosa was not even the deputy president of the ANC or of the country.

What is happening to Ramaphosa is similar to the Thabo Mbeki experience in Polokwane. There, Mbeki was deliberately accused of seeking a third term when he did not.

The country’s constitution did not provide for third term but the ANC constitution had no limit on how long the party’s president should serve and, therefore, there was nothing wrong in him standing.

ALSO READ: Marikana Massacre: 9 years on, still no one has taken responsibility

The Economic Freedom Fighters are always keen to chip in around Marikana and every anniversary provides it with another opportunity to do so. On Monday, Dali Mpofu took the less political route, lamenting the lack of action to compensate the widows and families of the victims.

It was interesting to hear from the advocate that, prior to the shootings, the miners agreed to be escorted by the police to the koppie, where they would surrender their weapons.

The agreement was spoilt when, out of the blue, one of the police officers “threw a teargas canister” at miners.

That’s when pandemonium broke loose and the massacre happened.

Mpofu’s explanation gave a clear impression that, had the police officer not thrown the teargas and the police kept their side of the bargain, the massacre wouldn’t have happened.

But then I asked myself: where does the Ramaphosa order fit in? Was the order saying the workers must be massacred, or a regular statement of concern that any company would issue in that circumstance.

At the same time, it’s worth asking why a company director be blamed for police action but not the president, minister of police or the commissioner? Where does the buck stop?