S. Africa inquiry slams police operation that led to Marikana massacre

An inquiry into the police killings of 34 striking South African workers at a mine in 2012 has called for the officers involved to be investigated, claiming the tactics used to deal with the unrest were “defective”. The miners were killed at Lonmin PLC’s platinum mine near Marikana in 2012, and the families of the victims accused police of using excessive force. President Jacob Zuma said in a televised address that a government-appointed panel’s report into what happened has recommended that state prosecutors should determine whether any police involved in the killings were criminally liable.

It would have been impossible to disarm and disperse the strikers without significant bloodshed.

President Jacob Zuma

The report, which was handed to Mr Zuma at the end of March, found Lonmin and union leaders could have done more to stop the violence. Striking miners themselves promoted conflict, the report added. The panel also expressed concern that it took around an hour to get medical attention for some of the injured strikers. Mr Zuma added that the commission’s report recommended all killings before the 16 August massacre should also be looked into.

Marikana Africa