Speaker, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members, members of the media, comrades, and friends, today we have convened this esteemed House to mourn the tragic events of Thursday, 16 August 2012. Our country has been in mourning because of the incidents that took place in Marikana, Rustenburg, in the North West province. Remembering this day should teach us, as members of this House and as a nation as a whole, to work doubly hard to prevent a repeat of such events. It is our responsibility, both as individuals and as a nation, to ensure that it does not happen again.
The events of Thursday are tragic, because many people lost their lives in a manner that could have been avoided if all of us had adhered to the noble principles of our Constitution. As government and fellow citizens, we offer our sincere condolences to all families who have lost their loved ones, both on Thursday and in the days preceding Thursday's events. Our thoughts are also with those who are recovering in hospitals and clinics. Our thoughts are also with our police officers, who are at times called upon to intervene in difficult situations.
Painful moments like these force us to trace our steps back and recall the founding principles of our democratic order. The Constitution of the Republic, as adopted in 1996, is our lodestar in the execution of our duties. The Constitution guarantees rights and imposes responsibilities on the citizens of the Republic. Section 17 of the Constitution assures the citizens of the Republic "the right, peacefully and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and to present petitions".
Section 205 of the Constitution speaks specifically to the South African Police Service and enjoins the members of the service to the following: to prevent, combat and investigate crime; to maintain public order; to protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property; and to uphold and enforce the law.
We have quoted from the Constitution so that we can remind the hon members of this august House and the public in general about the philosophical underpinning of our conduct. The police, as part of our security services, are expected at all material times to work guided by the Constitution of the Republic. The events of Thursday, 16 August 2012, were not a sudden eruption but a culmination of events that were building over months and months. The South African Police Service is saddened by the events that unfolded on that fateful day. The police did all in their power to avert such a situation. The loss of life among workers and members of our Police Service is tragic and regrettable.
Addressing the media on Friday evening, President Jacob Zuma said the following words, and I quote:
These events are not what we want to see or want to become accustomed to in a democracy that is bound by the rule of law and where we are creating a better life for all our people. We do not expect such incidents, particularly in a country where there is a high level of organisation within the labour movement. We have trade unions with many years of experience in organising workers within the framework of the labour laws of the country.
The President has subsequently announced that he will be appointing a judicial commission of inquiry, and we sincerely hope that this commission of inquiry will get to the bottom of what we are faced with as a nation. Furthermore, the President has also appointed an interministerial committee that will focus on the humanitarian aspects of the Marikana tragedy. The interministerial committee met yesterday and, in elaborating on the mandate given by President Zuma, decided upon a number of critical interventions as part of government's contribution to assist the families of those who lost their loved ones, as well as those injured and recuperating in hospitals.
Noting that President Zuma had already visited those injured in hospitals, the interministerial committee decided upon the following measures for immediate implementation: to visit the mortuary and give support to bereaved families; to meet various stakeholders, including traditional leaders, trade unions, mine management, religious leaders and community leaders. During the interaction with the mine management, the committee asked the management to act with restraint during this period of mourning.
In addition, the committee pledged that government will provide the affected communities with the following: the provision of state pathology to work with provincial authorities in finalising postmortem processes; the mobilisation of a contingent of health personnel, comprising military, municipal, provincial and national personnel, to provide any emergency services required during this period and beyond; the identification of the remaining six deceased persons; the provision of death certificates through dedicated counters established in the local Rustenburg Home Affairs offices; the provision of psychosocial support to members of the bereaved families and the injured through a dedicated team of social workers who will be stationed in the area while providing alternative care for orphans and children; the facilitation of the payment of necessary benefits to affected families; the provision of disaster management services in all major gatherings related to this tragedy; and co-ordination with other provinces from which some of the deceased originated.
Government Ministries and departments are on the ground, assisting families in identifying the deceased, organising funerals, and the like. The interministerial committee will brief the public on a daily basis around the unfolding events relating to this tragedy. Memorial services will be organised throughout the country on Thursday, led by the religious community of our country. These will take the shape of prayer meetings. The main service that will take place in Marikana will be organised by government, working together with the religious community.
As we indicated above, the Constitution of the Republic guarantees us the right to strike, to protest in a peaceful, orderly manner, and to express our dissatisfaction with anything. While all South Africans enjoy these rights, rights always come with responsibilities. However, the esteemed President of the Republic, President Zuma, said when addressing the media on Friday, and I quote:
We assure the South African people in particular that we remain fully committed to ensuring that this country remains a peaceful, stable, productive and thriving nation that is focused on improving the quality of life of all, especially the poor and the working class.
I further reiterate the call on leaders of all sectors of our society, including religious leaders, business leaders, labour leaders, traditional leaders, civic leaders, leaders of political parties and women and youth, to join the government in its efforts to unite the people in prayer and thoughts around this national tragedy and beyond. This is not a time for finger-pointing. All of us have a responsibility. We reiterate, our firm belief is that only by working together can we help the nation in the process of healing. I thank you. [Applause.]