Commission will inspect mining site

Marikana Commission of Inquiry chairman Ian Farlam is seen during the first week of the inquiry at the Civic Centre in Rustenburg in the North West, Wednesday, 3 October 2012. The judicial commission of inquiry into the shooting at Lonmin platinum mine was postponed on Wednesday. Lawyers representing the different parties unanimously decided to postpone the matter to 9am on October 22. Thirty-four miners were killed and 78 wounded when police opened fire on them while trying to disperse protesters near the mine in Marikana on August 16. Picture: SAPA stringer

Marikana Commission of Inquiry chairman Ian Farlam is seen during the first week of the inquiry at the Civic Centre in Rustenburg in the North West, Wednesday, 3 October 2012. The judicial commission of inquiry into the shooting at Lonmin platinum mine was postponed on Wednesday. Lawyers representing the different parties unanimously decided to postpone the matter to 9am on October 22. Thirty-four miners were killed and 78 wounded when police opened fire on them while trying to disperse protesters near the mine in Marikana on August 16. Picture: SAPA stringer

Published Mar 20, 2013

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Rustenburg - 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 August 13 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.

Phiyega gave evidence for the first time on Thursday about the role played by the police in the events leading up to and on August 16.

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 August 17, 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

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