MARIKANA - THE MUSICAL at The South African State Theatre

On the 16th of August 2012, after a standoff of several days that led to the loss of ten lives, South African Police opened fire on mine workers who had gathered on a koppie (hill) at Marikana in the North West Province in defiance of their employer, their trade union and ultimately, the South African State. The tragedy made headlines and shocked the world all over. Meshack Mavuso and Aubrey Poo lead a strong cast of 30 artists that unleashes a blow by blow account of the events that led to the loss of 44 lives at the hands of the police and the miners. “Tomorrow morning, the men will sing again. Their spears, pangas, inculas and sticks will clatter menacingly. They will recite battle cries from their homelands, and move about in organised columns, raising clouds of dust. But 34 of them will sing for the very last time.” MARIKANA - THE MUSICAL gives faces and names to the fallen brothers, sons, fathers and uncles. Twenty years into our democracy, can we say that we are a tolerant society if we can lose so many lives at our own hands?