Marikana miners burnt sheep alive in ritual
2013-02-25 17:42
Lucas Ledwaba, City Press
Rustenburg - A group of striking mine workers gathered near a river on a dark
night to undergo a series of rituals that would make it impossible for
bullets to penetrate their bodies when fired at.
This was evidence led before the Marikana Commission of Inquiry by
police lawyer Ishmael Semenya during cross-examination of mine worker
Siphethe Phatsha, a survivor of the shooting on 16 August that left 34
people dead.
The miners, under the supervision of a medicine man, bathed in the
river, then put two sheep, one black and another white, in a fire while
they were still alive.
The ashes from the fire were then rubbed into incisions made on their
ears by the medicine man. To illustrate that the ritual had the
required effect, bullets were fired at a box and didn’t penetrate it.
The commission is investigating the circumstances that led to the
deaths of 44 people who were killed violently during a strike by
rock-drill operators employed by platinum mining giant Lonmin.
Semenya said a witness, known as Mr X, was going to present the above evidence before the commission.
Different sources have alluded to the presence of a medicine man who
conducted rituals on the striking mine workers, which convinced them
they would be invincible.
The commission has also seen video footage and aerial photographs of
naked men standing in line near the koppie, being sprinkled with a
liquid substance believed to be muti. Semenya is arguing that Phatsha
and his group of armed strikers had declared war against the police.
Phatsha denied any knowledge of the rituals, saying he was not present when they were conducted.
He was earlier shown a video clip of him seated among a group of
armed men who were gathered at a koppie near where the shooting took
place.
Semenya argued that there were two distinct groups of the striking
workers, one which gathered on the koppie, and another, a militant and
armed group, sat in the front.
Phatsha said there were no distinct groups, arguing that they were merely Lonmin employees who wanted money from their employer.
The hearing continues.
