Farlam inquiry to visit Lonmin shaft
2013-03-20 08:01
Video
2013-03-15 08:38
A family member cried uncontrollably as national police chief Riah Phiyega voiced condolences to those affected at the Marikana shooting in the North West. Watch.WATCH
Police buy now
Rustenberg - The Farlam Commission of Inquiry is expected to
hold an in loco inspection at the K3 shaft at Lonmin Platinum's mine in
Marikana on Wednesday.
The inspection would be held where North West deputy police
commissioner General William Mpembe addressed the striking miners on 13 August and
where two police officers and three miners sustained fatal injuries.
National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega , who testified on
Tuesday, would not be able to continue giving evidence on Wednesday as she had
to be in Parliament, the commission heard.
The commission's chairperson, retired judge Ian Farlam ,
decided that her cross-examination would resume on Monday.
Role played by the police
Phiyega gave evidence for the first time on Thursday about
the role played by the police in the events leading up to and on 16 August.
On that day, 34 striking mineworkers were shot dead and 78
were wounded when the police opened fire on them.
Ten people, including two police officers and two security
guards, were killed near the mine in the preceding week.
Phiyega has yet to touch on the question of who instructed
the police to use live ammunition
On Tuesday, she stuck to her stance from 17 August , that
police acted in self-defence when they shot dead 34 striking mineworkers.
Cross-examining her in Rustenburg, evidence leader Mbuyiseli
Madlanga read a statement into the record by police officer Hendrich Wouter
Myburgh about the shooting.
Myburgh said he heard a gunshot on the day and when he
turned around he saw a constable put back his firearm and say "they
deserved to die".
The commission heard that the constable could not be
identified or named.
- SAPA
