Commission consoles Marikana families

2012-10-03 16:22

(Picture: AP)

Rustenburg - The judicial commission of inquiry into shootings at Lonmin’s platinum mine expressed condolences on Wednesday to family members of five victims who attended a hearing.

The chairperson, retired judge Ian Farlam, requested one of the commissioners to read out the names of the deceased and the names of the family members who had attended.

"This commission wishes to express its sympathy and its condolences," said Farlam.

"We would want to give you the assurance that we will do all to the best of our abilities to ascertain the facts which led to the deaths of those deceased."

The family members stood as the names were being read. One of the names read was that of a police officer who was hacked to death.

The Farlam-led commission postponed its work on Wednesday afternoon.

Lawyers representing the different parties unanimously agreed to put the matter off to 22 October.

Thirty-four miners were killed and 78 wounded when police opened fire on them while trying to disperse protesters near Lonmin's platinum mine in Marikana on 16 August.

According to some reports since the event, several miners were shot dead among rocks a distance from where the police clashed with the main group of striking workers.

On Monday and Tuesday, the inquiry conducted an in loco inspection of the area where the miners were shot in Marikana.

The commissioners also visited mine hostels, formal mine housing, local informal settlements and the hospital where wounded miners were taken after the shooting.

- SAPA