My sympathies go to the families that lost their loved ones and indeed to those who met their untimely death in Marikana nine years ago.

I, however, feel saddened and somewhat perturbed by how no-one, including the media, pays attention to the police officers who were butchered by miners. Does it mean that the lives of the poor cops do not matter or they do not have the same weight as the departed miners?

What about the families of those police officers, is it OK for them to lose their loved ones? Are we as a country admitting that police killings are just statistics for Commemoration Day every September, only making it to the news desks because of lack of newsworthy stories on the day?

As a country, we also need to introspect and think about the welfare of the children of those slain cops. We need to give equal attention to those families, like we do with the families of miners. Those cops died for protecting the mines that are producing minerals that their children will never afford thanks to their departed fathers who were killed by angry miners.

As a nation, we need to look at the issue of Marikana impartially and openly. Otherwise history will judge us harshly and the future generations will grow to hate the police if they are not fed the right information.

Bongani wa Mnwanati, Madidi