Marikana cops lying, says survivor
2013-02-27 12:44
Rustenburg - A mineworker who survived the 16 August shooting
at Marikana told the Farlam commission on Wednesday that police officers were
lying to the commission.
Mzoxolo Magidiwana, 24, was presented with several
statements made by different police officers, alleging that he was shot after
being spotted firing at police officers assigned to quell the protests at the
koppie.
After reading out the police’s evidence, advocate Dali
Mpofu, who represents the mineworkers arrested on 16 August, asked Magidiwana
to respond to the allegations.
“That is nonsense,” said Magidiwana.
He told the commission he had never held a firearm in his
life and did not know how to use a gun.
Disarmed
Evidence by police alleges that Magidiwana was shot in order
to disarm him on 16 August. He was allegedly found with a Z88 pistol bearing
with the emblem of the SA Police Service.
Police say he was charged with illegal possession of a
firearm and ammunition. He was arrested, but could not be detained due to the
severe injuries he had sustained.
Magidiwana was hospitalised at different institutions, under
police guard.
He was charged as accused number 273 of the protesting
mineworkers.
In response, Magidiwana told the commission on Wednesday
that these charges were troubling him.
“That matter troubles me because I do not even know how to
use a firearm. They (police) have levelled false accusations against me. I was
carrying a black knobkerrie during the protest,” said Magidiwana.
He said although he was not a rock drill operator, he joined
the protest on 16 August to support his fellow miners.
Together with thousands of other protesters, Magidiwana said
they decided to escape from the koppie near the mine, where they had been
meeting, when they realised police officers were surrounding them with barbed
wire.
Shot several times
"As soon as we emerged on the other side of the kraal,
we were met with rapid gunfire. I was hit on my left leg. I stumbled and fell
behind the others who had been shot, including Noki (a leader of the protesters
who was fatally shot)," said Magidiwana, who is on crutches.
He said the gunfire then stopped, briefly.
"Shortly afterwards I could hear voices of policemen
approaching the place where we had fallen. When they got to me, I was again
shot several times from close range whilst I was on the ground," said
Magidiwana.
"I sustained further shots in my abdomen. The last shot
caught my testicles and caused me some severe injury. I pleaded with the police
to rather kill me and told them my relatives' name[s], so they could help
identify my body."
In response to his plea to be finished off, the police
officers told him he was going to die anyway. He said the policemen used their
cellphones to take photographs of the bodies lying around, while laughing.
Others kicked the bodies.
"I am in severe pain from the wounds on my legs,
abdomen, elbow and testicles. I have been advised that there is a strong
possibility that I may never be able to father children," Magidiwana said
in his sworn affidavit presented to the commission.
The commission is holding hearings in Rustenburg, North
West, as part of its inquiry into the deaths of 44 people during an unprotected
strike in Marikana last year.
On 16 August, 34 striking mineworkers were shot dead and 78
injured when the police opened fire while trying to disperse a group which had
gathered on a hill near the mine.
Ten people, including two police officers and two security
guards, were killed near the mine in the preceding week.
After a short adjournment, Mpofu said video evidence
captured on 16 August would be screened.
- SAPA
