Farlam commission continues

The cross-examination of a senior policeman was due to continue at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry in Rustenburg on Thursday.

 

George Bizos, SC for the Legal Resource Centre and the Bench Marks Foundation, would continue cross-examining Maj-Gen Charl Annandale.  On Tuesday, the commission heard that the attitude of Marikana miners towards the police changed drastically ahead of the shooting on August 16.  Annandale, who led the police special tactical operations team

at Marikana, said the striking miners appeared to view the police presence positively on August 14 and 15.

 

"Police made a proper plan and this group started seeing police as the new mediators to help them achieve their purpose of obtaining higher wages." This had largely to do with the police's efforts to get union leaders to speak to the protesting miners. "However, everything changed on the sixteenth," said Annandale.  "There was no more negotiation with police, police were seen as an entity which is now standing in their way."

 

This contributed to different risks that became apparent on the day. On August 16, 34 striking miners were shot dead and 78 were wounded when the police opened fire. Ten others were killed in the preceding week.

 

-Sapa