South Africa’s government will pay compensation to the families of the mineworkers killed by police in a wage dispute in Marikana in 2012.
President Jacob Zuma said the families will be compensated, but details of the payments will be determined by an independent panel led by a judge.
Police shot 34 miners at the Lonmin platinum mine, claiming they were acting in self-defence.
The shooting shocked South Africa and the world at large, and was the most deadly police incident since the end of apartheid.
The lawyers representing the families have reportedly welcomed the president’s announcement, saying the gesture was expected a long time ago by the families, most of whom had even lost hope.
Many of the mine workers who died were sole bread winners for their families, and the compensation will be a welcome relief for the families.
Opposition leaders in the country have argued that the matter should be brought to parliament so that they can weigh in on what a fair settlement would be.
