By Obakeng Maje

Rustenburg-National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has will be cross-examined at Marikana Commission in Rustenburg after her appearance was adjourned last week.

Phiyega came under siege for her utterances after commended police on what they did to slain miners on the 16 Aungust last year.

According to the commission, Phiyega was seen laughing in that. Tape. 

The Commission want Phiyega to explain her remarks.

However Phiyega said she has been targeted because of her gender and called for truthful and balanced reporting by the media. This she told the Marikana Commission of Inquiry and added that she was hurt by media reports last year that she laughed when video footage showing how mineworkers were shot at Marikana, was shown at the commission.

Phiyega says it would be against her character to act in such a way. Phiyega has drawn massive crowds at the Marikana Commission of Inquiry as she testifies for the first time. 

Legal Resources Centre advocate George Bizos has criticised legal counsel for the police, advocate Ishmael Semenya’s for the way he has been questioning her. 

The human rights lawyer has suggested the Semenya has so far been lenient to Phiyega. 

The police chief will take the stand this morning and she is expected to testify on the role of the police in the Marikana tragedy in which 34 lives were lost in August last year. 

Bizos says Phiyega should explain whether she understands the public order policy document. 

The legal counsel for the police, Ishmael Semenya however says there’s nothing wrong with his line of questioning.

Last week Phiyega has spent the morning agreeing with the contents of a public order policy document relating to crowd management as she appears before the Marikana Commission of Inquiry. 

Phiyega is the first witness that the police force has brought to the commission. 

The commission was established after 34 people were killed following a violent unprotected strike at the Lonmin Platinum Mine’s Marikana operations in the North West in August last year. Advocate Semenya has been reading out the outlines of the document to Phiyega.

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