<P> During a trip to the European Union headquarters in Belgium on 18 September, President Zuma tried to reassure investors that though "we regarded the incident of Marikana as an unfortunate one . Nobody expected such an event ." He further noted South Africa's handling of the conflict . European Council President Herman van Rompuy said: "The events at the Marikana mine were a tragedy and I welcome the judicial commission of inquiry set up by President Zuma," while he noted South Africa's growing influence . He also met with the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso . Meanwhile, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said: "I realise that this is a social conflict, this is completely within the remit of the South African legislation and the South African political system . But we are...deeply troubled by the fact of all these dead victims ." </P> <P> The strikes were later said to be the result of inequality within South African society . </P> <P> President Jacob Zuma, who had been attending a regional summit in Mozambique at the time of the 16 August shootings, expressed "shock and dismay" at the violence and called on the unions to work with the government to "arrest the situation before it spirals out of control". The day after the shootings, Jacob Zuma travelled to the location of the shootings and ordered a commission of inquiry to be formed, saying: "Today is not an occasion for blame, finger - pointing or recrimination ." Zuma also declared a week of national mourning for the strikers who were killed . </P> <P> National police commissioner Mangwashi Victoria Phiyega, a former social worker who was appointed on 13 June, stated police had acted in self - defense, saying, "This is no time for blaming, this is no time for finger - pointing . It is a time for us to mourn ." Phiyega presented aerial photography of the events which she claimed demonstrated that the strikers had advanced on the 500 strong police force before they had opened fire . </P>

What are the main reasons which contributed to the strike in marikana