Rustenburg-
Police were told about the danger they would face at a hill in Marikana during mining unrest last year, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Thursday.

Vuyani Ngalwana, for the police, read a statement by Warrant Officer Rapheso Masenya to North West deputy police commissioner General William Mpembe.

Masenya was part of the operations on 16 August and recorded events with a video camera.

He said in his statement that he and his team were told by Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa not to get close to the protesters because they would get hurt.

“He advised we should not get closer as they [miners] were angry and would injure us… he said it in isiXhosa: bazonilimaza la babantu… [these people will hurt you].” Mathunjwa had addressed the protesters just after midday.

Police spokesperson Dennis Adriao told Masenya and his team: “You are being identified as police spies and you should withdraw from this place as miners said they would kill you.”

Masenya said he and his team, who were filming the scene, went back to the operations centre.

Asked whether he had received Masenya’s information at that time, Mpembe said he only knew about it after the shooting.

Mpembe said he was not aware that Mathunjwa was addressing protesters at the hill at that time. He told the commission police were already deployed along the hill immediately, after the move to launch a dispersal plan was agreed upon at a police task team meeting.

Protestors

Earlier, he said he made the decision to disperse the protesters, and that his superior, provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Zukiswa Mbombo, and the rest of the team agreed.

As he was getting ready to leave the police command centre and board a private security helicopter to the scene, Mpembe said he heard on the police radio that protesters were moving towards the police line.

Police did not have footage of the shooting because Masenya and his team had left the scene, said Ngalwana.

Commission chairperson, retired Judge Ian Farlam, asked Mpembe why those tasked with filming did not make use of the police safe line meant to protect other officers and the media.

“Why didn’t they go there so that they can carry on filming and taking pictures?” he asked Mpembe.

Mpembe said the information he received indicated it was dangerous for some of the officers to remain there.

The commission, sitting in Centurion, is probing the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 44 people during an unprotected strike at Lonmin’s platinum mine in Marikana, in August.

The hearing continues on Friday.

– SAPA

Pretoria – A Marikana shop owner ran out of pangas and axes, after demand for the items increased during unrest in the area, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday.

“There was a sudden great demand for pangas, axes, and hatchets from 11 August,” Marikana general dealer Mohammed Cassim said in a statement.

Vuyani Ngalwana, for the police, read the statement to the commission.

“I usually kept at least 30 pangas in the shop at a time, but they ran out in no time and I had to go buy more stock.”

The commission, chaired by retired Judge Ian Farlam, is probing the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 44 people during an unprotected strike at Lonmin’s platinum mine in Marikana, in August.

Cassim’s statement, together with that of a “Mr Y”, was submitted to the commission on Tuesday. Cassim said it was the first time he had sold so many weapons.

“From the time I had been operating this business, this was the first time I had sold so many pangas, axes, and hatchets within a week.”

He said customers usually wrapped the pangas in newspapers before leaving the store.

At that time the buyers, however, snuck the weapons into their pants and jackets.

Attacks

Mr Y’s statement detailed how he was attacked on his way to work, stabbed several times, and left for dead on 13 August.

He survived and identified two of his attackers.

“These statements are meant to supplement [North West deputy police commissioner] General William Mpembe’s latest testimony to this commission about how people in the area continued to be attacked and robbed during the unrest,” Ngalwana said.

Farlam said the commission would decide whether Cassim would be called to testify.

The hearing continues.

– SAPA

Pretoria – Police officers on duty in Marikana during last year’s mine unrest came under attack from protesters, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday.

“Regarding the 13 August tragedy, as I was there… police were charged at and they defended themselves and their colleagues,” North West deputy police commissioner William Mpembe said.

Two police officers were hacked to death during unrest on 13 August.

“I was not at the scene on the 16th [of August], but when I looked via a video, for what is called scene one, I could see that there was a group charging at police. That I can also attribute to self defence.”

The commission, sitting in Centurion, is probing the circumstances of the deaths of 44 people during an unprotected strike at Lonmin’s platinum mine in Marikana, in August.

Thirty-four striking miners were shot dead when police tried to disperse them on 16 August.

Ten people, including two policemen, died in strike-related violence the preceding week.

Vuyani Ngalwana, for the police, asked Mpembe on Tuesday to explain to the commission the violence of 13 and 16 August.

The hearing continues.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Hartebeesfontein- North West police have arrested a 62 year-old delivery truck driver on Monday for reckless driving. 

“The driver who was also found to have being under the influence of alcohol, collided head on with an oncoming vehicle on the Ottosdal/Hartebeesfontein road” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

Police said the suspect was driving from Ottosdal direction to Hartebeesfontein when he collided with a vehicle which had six occupants and a driver. 

All occupants were allegedly from a soccer tournament in Hartebeesfontein. 

“According to the information, the suspect was allegedly drunk and his vehicle swerved from one side of the road to the other and resulted his truck to collided with another vehicle. 

“A 28 year-old driver died on the scene and six passengers were taken to Ottosdal Hospital with serious injuries” Makau said. The suspect will appear before the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on charges of Drunken Driving and Culpable Homicide on Wednesday.  

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The North West Provincial Government has began consultation processes and engagements with role-players to ensure that lasting peace and stability is restored to end violent conflicts in the mining sector,  North West Premier Thandi Modise declared at the cleansing ceremony held at the infamous Marikana koppie on Tuesday.

In appealing for calm, tolerance, respect and dignity in her address to about 2000 people who were part of the ceremony, Premier Modise appealed to parties involved in the conflict to denounce violence and work for peaceful co-existence.

 “As the provincial government we have started the engaged Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and will be engaging the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Lonmin in the coming week. One more death is a death too many. We need to take steps to reconcile, end the violence and focus on development in this area,” said Modise.

Whilst acknowledging that the province’s scope for intervention in issues of mining and labour are limited, she said that conditions of employment and other social responsibility issues such as housing are among some of the issues that the provincial government will discuss with Lonmin Management as the ongoing conflicts affects the province directly.

Premier Modise commented the Executive Mayor of Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, Councillor Louis Diremelo for the role his municipality had played in supporting the work of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team that was established by President Jacob Zuma to support the families in the aftermath of the tragic incident that left 44 people dead and for organising the cleansing ceremony which cost the provincial government and the municipality R1 million.

The Premier announced that the provincial government has set aside R75 million for a recreational centre for the benefit of the youth and the community to be build in Nkaneng.   

The emotional ceremony was graced by among others the Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, Supra Mahumapelo, Representatives of Congress of Traditional Leadership of South Africa. Advocate Dali Mpofu representing the families at the Farlam Commission and the Executive Mayor of Rustenburg Councillor Mpho Khunou.

The Lesotho national who is alleged to have raped of a 16 year old girl in Legonyane village in Jericho should not granted bail when he appears in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistratescourt today, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Tuesday.“We condemn in the strongest terms possible the ghastly act which has robbed the young girl of her innocence. The shameful act amounts to betrayal of the trust of the family that had employed the 18 year-old man to look after their cattle,” said Premier Modise in commenting neighbours who alerted police leading to the man’s arrest.

Modise added that the scourge of rape has robbed many of our young girls including infants of their innocence, the elderly of their dignity and called on real men to stand up to be counted against it.

According to police, the suspect who stays in the same yard as the victim had called the victim to his room where he raped her. Her grandmother rushed to her aid when he heared her screams.

Meanwhile, the one million signature Anti-Rape Campaign launched by Premier Modise has gained momentum and the need for the partnership with the National Interfaith Council of South Africa to be extended to tavern owners and shebeen owners for it to reach those that patronise taverns and shebeens has been identified.