Rustenburg – Police commissioner Riah Phiyega is scheduled to testify on Wednesday before the Farlam Commission of Inquiry into last year’s Marikana shooting.

Commission spokesman Tshepo Mahlangu confirmed on Tuesday that Phiyega would be called by lawyers representing the police.

“She will be called to give evidence on the role played by the SA Police Service on the events that are the subject of the Marikana Commission of Inquiry,” he said in a statement.

Phiyega was criticised in August after she said police officers should not be sorry about the shooting, near Lonmin’s platinum mine  in Marikana, which left 34 protesting miners dead.

“Safety of the public is not negotiable. Don’t be sorry about what happened,” Phiyega was quoted as saying by the Sowetan newspaper on August 20.

Phiyega was speaking at Warrant Officer Sello Ronnie Lepaku’s funeral. He was killed in August, allegedly by protesting Lonmin miners.

The commission is probing the deaths of 44 people during an unprotected strike at Lonmin’s platinum mine in Marikana. On August  16, 34 striking mineworkers were shot dead and 78 injured when the police opened fire while trying to disperse a group gathered on a hill near the mine.

Ten people, including two police officers and two security guards, were killed near the mine in the preceding week.

On Tuesday, the commission heard evidence from miner Mzoxolo Magidiwana who was shot and wounded on August 16. Evidence leader, advocate Thantaswa Lupuwana questioned Magidiwana on why he and other miners carried dangerous weapons on the day.

For more details go to www.iol.co.za