Farlam commission continues

The Farlam Commission of Inquiry into last year's fatal shooting of mineworkers in Marikana, North West will continue on Tuesday. 

 

On Monday concerns were raised about the conduct of Lonmin lawyer Schalk Burger. "The people I represent are... saying the representatives of Lonmin are deliberately interrupting the proceedings," said Dali Mpofu, for the injured and arrested miners. "They say they [Lonmin representatives] are assisting police witnesses."  Earlier, Burger raised concerns about Mpofu's style of questioning with commission chairman, retired judge Ian Farlam.  

 

Burger told the commission that he too represented victims. "My clients lost (several people including) 34 workers. It caused trauma that they are still trying to recover from. Lives were lost here," said Burger.  The commission is investigating the deaths of 44 people in Lonmin's wage-related unrest last year. Police shot dead 34 striking mineworkers in Marikana on August 16. 

 

Ten people, including two police officers, were killed in the preceding week. Earlier, Mpofu cross-examined Maj-Gen Charl Annandale, who headed the police's tactical operations team during the unrest. Mpofu argued that police laws stated that officers should always give a warning before acting, but police deployed to Marikana did not do this.

 

-Sapa