Marikana inquiry to inspect more sites

Ian Farlam listens to comments made on day one of the Farlam Commission into the Marikana shooting. Picture: Taurai Maduna/EWN
The judicial commission of inquiry into the Lonmin shooting began its work on Monday 1 October, 2012 with an inspection of the area where the shooting took place. EWN's Taurai Maduna reports from Marikana.
| 02 October 2012

MARIKANA - Inspections will continue on Tuesday of areas where violent attacks occured during the Lonmin miners’ strike.

On Monday, officials inspected the site where 34 workers were gunned down by police on 16 August.

Retired judge Ian Farlam on Monday said the inquiry would be quick, but thorough, to determine who is ultimately responsible for the unrest that occurred at the mining town.

Advocates representing the families of the victims and those arrested for public violence asked for postponements, saying their clients should be present for hearings.

The commission said while every effort was being made to ensure they attended the hearings that affected them, the investigation could not be delayed.

Farlam and his team started the inquiry with an inspection at the Wonderkop hill were the often miners gathered and surrounding areas where the 34 miners were gunned down.

They will be visiting other areas in Marikana, before public hearings get underway on Wednesday.

The 5-week wage dispute between Lonmin management and employees was laced with violence, with attacks in the mining town claiming a total of 46 lives.

The inquiry, set down for four months, will aim to find out what led to the strike and what caused the violence and deaths.