African National Congress presidential hopeful, Dr
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was sent packing in Marikana near Rustenburg on Tuesday.
Dlamini-Zuma was in Marikana to lay wreaths at the infamous
koppie where 34 miners were gunned down by police on 16 August 2012.
The rocky koppie, or hill, is the place where 34 striking
mineworkers were gunned down by police in 2012.
The families and community members feel the ANC government
has not compensated them for the incident.
The area has also been a no-go area for President Jacob
Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. Yesterday Amcu members prevented
Dlamini-Zuma from laying wreaths and forced her to leave.
She did not even step out of her vehicle. The union members
shouted: "This is not a playground. Why did you not come when you were
still the chairperson of the AU [African Union]".
Napoleon Webster, a Marikana community activist, said
Dlamini-Zuma's actions were political.
"We can't use the pain of our people for her to become
the ANC president... She is doing what Cyril [Ramaphosa] did. We [also] chased
her husband away last [time]," he said.
Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa said Dlamini-Zuma and her
entourage did not follow the right protocol.
"Amcu branch structures feel undermined by Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma and her people. They feel that Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and her
people should have communicated with the (Amcu) national office."
Mathunjwa said it has been mentioned to Dlamini-Zuma and
her entourage that the Wonderkop should not be used for political point
scoring.
ANC Women's League secretary general Meakgo Matuba
downplayed the incident, saying: "We respect the decision of some Amcu
members for requesting the ANCWL to postpone its wreath laying today
(yesterday).
" We will continue working with all sectors of society
including the labour unions to ensure that there is everlasting peace and
harmony in Marikana."
Earlier in the day Dlamini-Zuma had visited Bapo Ba Mogale
Royal family who endorsed her to replace Zuma.
ANCWL members clad in yellow and white T-shirts written
'NDZ for president' shouted "We are ready for Nkosazana" as she
stepped out of her car.
Emius Mogale, the nephew of the Bapo Ba Mogale incumbent
chief Andrew Mogale described Dlamini-Zuma as a very important person.
Addressing the Bapo Ba Mogale traditional authority, ANCWL
members and a group of church members from Saint John church, Dlamini-Zuma
emphasised that the country's economy needed to be transformed radically. Sowetan
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