The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) is expected to launch a fundraising campaign for the families of mineworkers killed at Marikana. A news conference will be held on Thursday. The labour union’s president is also expected to be present and the union will give an update on civil claims lodged against the police ministry. On Tuesday, families of 37 mineworkers killed in Marikana filed papers in court to take on Police Minister Nathi Nhleko.

The families, represented by the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of SA (SERI), the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) and Wits Law Clinic, filed papers at the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday morning. In a statement issued by SERI and LRC, they said the majority of the mineworkers were the sole breadwinners in their families. The deceased mineworkers also supported large extended families on their “meagre income”.

The 37 mineworkers supported a total of 326 dependents. Their families live in the North West, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Lesotho and Swaziland.

The families are claiming compensation for:

– The loss of the financial support of the deceased to their families;

– Grief and emotional shock caused by the death of their husbands, fathers, brothers and caregivers;

– The medical expenses of psychological and psychiatric treatment;

– The loss of family life and parental care.

“The families also claim a formal apology from the minister of police for the loss of their loved ones,” the SERI and LRC said.

“An apology will bring much needed closure to the families who feel they have been abandoned by the South African government.”

On August 16 2012, police shot dead 34 striking mineworkers at Lonmin’s mine in Marikana, in the North West. The remaining three were killed on August 13, among 10 killed in the week prior. News24