August marks the 10th anniversary of the Marikana massacre when 34 protesting mineworkers were killed by the police.
To commemorate the event, the critically acclaimed Marikana – The Musical theatre production returns on stage from August 2-28 at the South African State Theatre (SAST).
On August 16 2012, the police opened fire on protesting Lonmin platinum mineworkers in Marikana, North West, who were demanding a wage increase.
The event was described as the cruelest incident of police brutality since the advent of democracy and it revived memories of the harsh apartheid regime and its merciless police force.
After a four-year stage hiatus, the Best Musical Naledi Theatre award-winner will reassemble performers such as Meshack Mavuso-Magabane, Aubrey Poo, Siyasanga Papu, Emma Mmekwa, and Mpho Matome to lead a 40-member cast.
The 13-piece band will unleash a blow-by-blow account of the events that led to the loss of lives at the hands of the police and other miners during the massacre.
Written and directed by playwright and director Aubrey Sekhabi, Marikana – The Musical is an adaptation of the book We Are Going to Kill Each Other Today: The Marikana Story written by Thanduxolo Jika, Felix Dlangamandla, Lucas Ledwaba, Sebabatso Mosamo, Athandwa Saba, and Leon Sadiki.
The story looks at the lives of mineworkers and their families, as well as the events leading up to the massacre. It goes back to the villages and townships where they came from and gives faces and names to the fallen brothers, sons, fathers, and uncles.
The musical was last seen on stage in 2017 at the SAST. After its premiere in 2014, the explosive musical garnered respect from audiences and critics alike and won six Naledi Awards out of 18 nominations the following year.
It won awards including Best Production of a Musical, Best Director (Aubrey Sekhabi), Best Performance in a Musical: Female (Emma Mmekwa), Best Set Design (Wilhelm Disbergen), Best Musical Score (Mckenzie Matome, Zakele Mabena and Aubrey Sekhabi), Best original and Choreography (Thabo Rapoo).
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