The legal representative for the Bapo Ba Mogale traditional authority says they do not want the Marikana Commission of Inquiry to move from Rustenburg to Pretoria. The traditional authority is the owner of the land where Lonmin’s Marikana Mine is situated.

The authority filed an opposing application late Tuesday evening explaining why they wanted the Commission to continue with its work in the North West. Their move comes after Commission chair, retired judge Ian Farlam, met with Justice Minister Jeff Radebe in the morning to discuss an application by some legal representatives to move to Gauteng.

Meanwhile, National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has denied that she failed to properly prepare for her testimony before the Commission of Inquiry. Advocate for the Legal Resource Centre George Bizos has told Phiyega that she’s tried to avoid personal responsibility, evaded answering important questions and attempted to hide behind the police’s organisational bureaucracy to avoid answering questions.

But, Phiyega did not agree to these accusations. During cross examination, the Police Commissioner was again asked why she never mentioned allegations by Warrant Officer Wouter Myburgh that a Sergeant of the National Intervention Unit had fired a shot at a mine worker during the Marikana shootings, saying he deserved to die. Advocate Gcina Malindi for the Human Rights Commission told Phiyega that he felt she was criticising Myburgh for not taking note of the name of the Sergeant and not being able to point him out again. 

However, Phiyega did not agree.

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