Marikana 'cast member' statement a regrettable error - ANC

Johannesburg - The ANC on Wednesday said congratulating the 'cast members' of the award-winning Miners Shot Down documentary was a regrettable error.

"The statement erroneously referred to the crew as the cast, singling them out for praise on their achievement," spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said in a statement.

"Any harm that such an error caused is regretted. The error has since been corrected on ANC communication platforms."

The ruling party took flak for its statement on Tuesday which proved particularly unpopular on Twitter, with some asking whether the party was referring to the "deceased miners" as cast members.

This was after Miners Shot Down won the International Emmy Award for best documentary.

The film covers the 2012 Marikana shooting when mineworkers at Lonmin's platinum mine in the North West embarked on a wildcat strike for better wages.

Police opened fire on striking workers, killing 34 of them. Ten people were killed in the preceding week, including two police officers and two security guards.