Today marks seven years since 34 mineworkers were shot dead during a protest demanding better wages and working conditions at then Lonmin Platinum’s Marikana operations.
“Despite having dockets since 2017, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has failed to prosecute anyone for the deaths on 16 August 2012.”
The Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the Marikana massacre highlighted poor leadership from SAPS as the main factor that led to the police opening fire on protesting miners, killing 34 on 16 August 2012.
It recommended that the appointments of senior command personnel were audited to avoid confusion among the rank and file within SAPS, that the use of force in public order policing needed to be reviewed and that automatic weapons had no place in public policing.
“The terrible thing about the days before the massacre is that police were using assault rifles for public order policing.”
— Judge Ian Farlam, Chairperson – Marikana Commission Inquiry
“The main recommendation was that the police need to be demilitarised and I am not sure what has been done about that recommendation.”
— Judge Ian Farlam, Chairperson – Marikana Commission Inquiry
He further said that there are a lot of other recommendations that have not been adhered to and He believes that the public deserves to know what the government is doing to implement those recommendations.
Meanwhile, a new application has been launched to have the findings of the Farlam Commission into the Marikana Massacre overturned.
Lawyers for the families of slain workers argue that the commission exonerated politicians, ministers as well as union leaders and Lonmin executives who may have played a role in the deployment and shooting of workers by police in August 2012.