Marikana commission asks for footage

2012-10-01 16:33

(AP)

Rustenburg - The inquiry into the shooting at Lonmin platinum mine in Marikana on Monday appealed to media organisations to hand in footage of the violence.

Retired judge Ian Farlam, chairperson of the three-member judicial commission of inquiry, said the footage submitted would be viewed on Wednesday.

“We hereby request the media organisations with the evidence of events of 16 August to supply us with such.

“We ask for the co-operation of the media organisations. I do not see how the footage can be prejudicial to anybody,” he said.

Farlam said he had heard that some media outlets had footage of what happened prior to the shooting on 16 August, during which 34 miners were killed.

He said the video evidence should be submitted to the evidence-leading team. Films and photos of the protest action were widely distributed by several local and international news organisations.

On Monday morning, the media was initially barred from entering the Rustenburg Civic Centre, where the inquiry was being held. This was despite journalists being invited to a press briefing before the start of the inquiry. Reporters and photographers were shunted from one entrance to another trying to get access, but were refused by security guards.

They were finally allowed into the venue just before the start of the proceedings. Instructions on how reporters should proceed in covering the inquiry were handed out on entering the hall.

When the formal sittings start, only one video camera and one photographer would be allowed inside, along with reporters.

- SAPA