Marikana

Province

Marikana (formerly Rooikoppies ) is a town in the North-West Province in the district Bojanala Platinum in South Africa. Marikana is located east of Rustenburg.

The place is known by the platinum mines in the vicinity.

Traffic

South of Marikana run the National Route 4 and the regional route R104.

History

2011 lived in Marikana and around 19,522 inhabitants.

South African miners' strike in 2012

Larger furor aroused the place in August 2012 by the so-called by the media " Marikana Massacre ". After striking miners of a platinum mine of Lonminkonzerns two police officers and several security forces had killed and several days later, armed zustürmten to the police, they opened fire. Overall, at least 44 people died, it was the largest massacre in South Africa since the Sharpeville massacre in 1960.