rustenburg – Thembinkosi Gwelani was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he paid with his life – a bullet went into the back of his head and out through his forehead.

Now the 27-year-old’s lifeless body lies in the Rustenburg morgue after last week’s tragedy.

 Gwelani’s brother, Bongani – a striking Lonmin mine worker – who had encouraged him to come from Lusikisiki eight months ago, is unable to transport his body home because he hasn’t been paid.

Gwelani is one of 34 people killed and 78 wounded. Only one of the people killed during the violence remains unidentified.

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan said the department had assisted in the identification of five of the six miners who had not been identified. “We are working around the clock to ensure we can help identify the last unidentified miner,” she said.

 “Of the deceased miners, there were five foreign nationals – four from Lesotho and one from Swaziland. We have so far issued 30 death certificates to bereaved families, most of whom originate from the Eastern Cape.”

When Gwelani was killed, he was a curious onlooker.

Bongani said when his brother was shot he had been trying to flee from the crowd that clashed with the police.

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