On 16 August, 2012, a historic bloodbath occurred at a Lonmin mine in Marikana, South Africa, when police used lethal force on mine workers who were striking. The incident claimed 34 lives, injuring 78 more people, while 259 miners were arrested. Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega stated in press conference that police officers used maximum force to protect themselves during the clashes. The massacre has caused many reactions at both the domestic and international level. Ayanda Kota analyzing the issue writes: The Marikana Mine is the richest platinum mine in the world and yet its workers live in shacks. Most of the slain workers are rock drillers, the most difficult and dangerous work in the mine. They do the most dangerous work in the mine and yet they earn only R4 000 a month. Through the blood and sweat in the mines they do not only produce wealth that is alienated from them, they also produce the fat cats, which wine and dine on naked bodies and call that sushi. This video, uploaded to YouTube on 17 August by user enewschannel, asks what can be revealed from studying the news footage of the event [WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT]: Reactions Carina Conradie, a 21 year-old South African, has opened a Facebook page inviting people everywhere to join her project to end inequality and senseless killings in South. She recalls that: 310 people were killed in Khayelitsha between April 2010 and March 2011. 80% of households in the Western Cape do not know where their next meal will come from. This desperation leads to the violence of inequality that is seen on a daily basis in our communities. We will therefore stand in hunger and solidarity on a 24 hour hunger strike every Monday until the 24th of September. Join us for as many Mondays as you can to spark debate and dialogue and spread awareness of this crisis. Her plans are: This Monday (20/8) we will be striking in honour of the 34 protestors who were killed at the Lonmin mine shooting. On Monday we will also meet at UCT (at 2pm outside the Arts Block) and in front of parliament (at 1pm) to engage with the issue of the violence of inequality and the ways in which the Lonmin shooting is such an example. Anyone who is hunger striking or wants to engage with these issues is encouraged to join in these gatherings. Another Facebook page is called Justice now for Marikana Strikers! We condemn the police massacre of 45 strikers! The introductory part of the page reads: Thursday the 16th of August 2012 will go down in South African history as the new Sharpeville. 45 dead because police and the South African government cannot handle an independent union movement. We are in solidarity with the workers of Marikana against the bosses and the police and those who support the bosses and police. To protest this massacre and all other forms of police violence, we will gather at parliament on Friday the 17th of August at 3pm. Please bring signs. Joining the discussion on the page, Lorna Houston is of the opinion that: The blame game never moves us forward. RIP Striking Miners who were killed. Life in our country is not valued and so we can attack each other and kill – this is true for SAPS, strikers, protesters, abusers, gangsters and ‘regular’ people. We need to learn our own value so that we can begin to value others. Love, peace and harmony On the same page, Rehad Desai has published a communiqué from a group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) calling for a series of activities to be held next week: On Wednesday 22 August, civil society organisations – faith-based, non-governmental and community-based organisations, social movements and trade unions – will initiate an independent civil society-led inquiry into the massacre of more than 34 mineworkers at Marikana. The communiqué gives details of the inquiry: The launch will take place at a public meeting to be held this Wednesday. The meeting will hear testimony from Marikana workers, affected women and leaders of community organisations. We will hear their account of developments leading up to the massacre and a description of how the police slaughtered their loved ones and comrades. This version of events differs from those that have prevailed in the media. Marco Guidetti expressing his view, says on the same Facebook page: No matter how bad the situation on the ground is, the government and it's resources (police,etc) should at all times do their best to protect it's populace. There are many non-lethal means that could've been employed to quell the unrest. Many South African readers have commented on a story published by the BBC.