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9 senior police officials to appear for Marikana murders
Rustenburg – Nine senior police officials are to appear in the Rustenburg Magistrate's Court in connection with the Marikana massacre - more than five years after the tragedy occurred.
News24 understands that the senior officials face charges of murder, attempted murder, contravention of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Act, defeating and/or obstructing the ends of justice and the contravention of the Commissions Act.
According to a report in the Mail and Guardian, it is understood that the charges related to an incident on August 13,
The officials will reportedly appear for the deaths of Thembelakhe Mati, Semi Jokanisi and Phumzile Sokhanyile.
On August 16, 2012, police shot dead 34 miners and wounded scores more while trying to put an end to their strike for a better wage. Most of the miners were shot in the back.
By the end of the strike, 44 people had died.
Miners demanded that their pay
Seventy-two police officers involved in the killing of the miners were investigated by the IPID.
Last month, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s promise of atonement for the Marikana massacre, families of the striking miners who were killed said that reparations should include a formal apology from the police minister and the institution of criminal charges against the police officers involved.
During Ramaphosa’s response to the debate over his first State of the Nation Address (
“The Marikana tragedy stands out as the darkest moment in the life of our young democracy,” Ramaphosa told both Houses of Parliament.
The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI), which represents 36 families of the killed miners, welcomed the president’s
SERI said in a