Marikana miners and their families are demanding an apology from Cyril Ramaphosa.
It’s part of a civil case against him and Sibanye-Stillwater being heard on Thursday.
The application was brought by over 360 people affected by the Marikana massacre.
Ramaphosa was a director of Lonmin at the time.
The group says his email calling for concomitant action led to the deaths of the miners.
“The miners are asking that the president unconditionally apologise for what transpired in Marikana,” attorney Andries Nkome said.
“We understand that one off the main causes of the Massacre was the president characterising, as a Director of Lonmin, as well as a shareholder the Labour disputes as a criminal act.
“And at the end he said police must act with committed action, which means they should do what they would do to criminals.
“There are financial damages that our clients are looking at and the main thing is one which is an unconditional apology and a conciliatory process that the president must participate in with the Marikana miners.”