Marikana Lawyers Still Waiting For Compensation Confirmation

While government says it is ready to compensation the Marikana victims and their families, a lawyer says government has not made an offer yet.
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Demonstrators hold placards during a protest to demand victim compensation and improved worker living conditions for Marikana miners, outside Lonmin's annual general meeting in London, Britain January 26, 2017.
Stefan Wermuth / Reuters

Government has not approached the Marikana survivors or the families of the victims regarding a compensation offer, Business Day reported on Monday.

This, despite police minister Nathi Nhleko reportedly telling Parliament last week that R1.17 billion had been set aside for compensation. Nhleko reportedly said government was awaiting formal acceptances of the offer so that the government could pay those who qualified.

But Andries Nkome, representing the wounded and arrested Marikana miners said government had not approached him. He told Business Day that it was unfortunate that government's intentions regarding compensation were always communicated through the media.

"This goes towards our clients' view that the government is just treating them with disdain and contempt," he reportedly said.

Nkome also told the paper that lawyers were still quantifying the amount owed to the victims. The amount needed to help those who were injured during the massacre could be higher than initially thought, he said.

Nhleko's spokesman, Sandile Ngidi, told Business Day that an offer had been made "across the board to all the victims".