Rustenburg – The South African Policing Union (Sapu) on Monday called on the SA Police Service (SAPS) management to support all the police officers facing charges relating to the violence in Marikana, in the North West, that claimed the lives of 44 people four years ago.
"We have taken note of media reports that some police officials would be criminally charged for that tragic event. We want to state it categorically clear that as SAPU we do not condone acts of criminality by members of the SAPS, however, this incident was part of performing their duties," said general secretary Oscar Skommere.
He said it was within the SAPS prescripts to legally protect members who faced criminal charges related to when they were on duty.
"What we are calling for is not preferential treatment or favour. The SAPS must practice what is a norm in the police. We will closely monitor the management's response to our call. We are also concerned about the damning silence of the police so far on this matter."
He said Sapu had availed legal assistance to the Krugersdorp accused police officials and would also avail all the necessary support to the Marikana police officials.
"We also want to put it on record that we sympathise with all the 44 people who include two police officials who were card-carrying members of Sapu who lost their lives during that unfortunate incidents of August 2012."
He said so far all officers, including high ranking commanders holding the rank of major-general, were innocent.
The Presidency on Sunday, in an update on steps taken by government departments to implement the Farlam Commission of Inquiry's recommendations, said a number of senior police officers had been charged or were being investigated for various offences following the conclusion of the Farlam investigation.
Amongst others, investigations found a Major General who was responsible for overall command of the SAPS operation at Marikana, to have been remiss in his conduct when dealing with the incident of 13 August 2012, which led to the deaths of two policemen, Warrant Officer Lepaaku and Warrant Officer Monene, as well as three strikers. He also allegedly ignored the advice of experienced Public Order Police officers on dealing with the crowd control situation and contravened the SAPS Standing Order 262 relating to crowd control.
The officer faces four counts of murder for the deaths of two police officers and two of the strikers and six counts of attempted murder in respect of the five injured miners and one police officer. He also faces charges of defeating and/or obstructing the ends of justice, as well as contravention of section 6 (2) of the Commissions Act by falsely testifying at the Farlam Commission and denying his role in ordering the police to fire teargas at the strikers.
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has also said it stood by police officers facing charges relating to the violence in Marikana, that left 44 people dead in August 2012.
"We want to categorically state that we stand by those accused police officials and if the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not represent them, we will. The principle of innocent until proven guilty should respectively be observed in this matter," the union said on Monday.
The Farlam Commission, chaired by retired Judge Ian Farlam, was appointed to probe the deaths of 44 people during a violent wildcat strike at Lonmin's Marikana operations.
Thirty four people, mostly mineworkers, were shot dead by police on August 16, 2012, while ten others, including two policemen and two Lonmin security guards, died in violence the preceding week.
The commission's report and recommendations was released to the public on 25 June 2015.