Angry policemen vowed to avenge their colleagues ’ deaths
Annandale, commander for the specialised force in Marikana, was asked whether he was aware of claims by one of his colleagues, LieutenantColonel Johannes Vermaak, that the officers “blamed Mpembe for [the] cop killings and instructions he gave”.
The situation had been so tense that Mpembe was taken away in an armoured vehicle from the area near the koppie where the miners had gathered.
Vermaak ’ s statement continued: “They mentioned Mpembe would lie with those members on the ground and that they are going to shoot him … I realised this was an explosive situation and called [provincial police commissioner Zukiswa] Mbombo telling her about the threat and mentioned [we] will remove him from the scene”.
The shooting of the miners took place three days later.
Advocate George Bizos, representing the families of victims, said the officers were not fit to hold guns facing a hostile crowd.
“Can there be a greater lack of discipline than having members of [the] police force threatening to kill their own commanders,” he asked.
Bizos asked whether these officers should have been withdrawn from the opera- tion. He also wanted to know whether it was logical to even let Mpembe continue as overall commander.
Annandale noted that the threat against Mpembe was a very serious allegation which he accepted at the time.
However, he did not know whether any immediate steps were taken against what Bizos described as a “major discipline problem”.
He could also not say whether it was ideal to have the officers continue with their work despite their “transgression”.
He said affected officers went though an employee wellness programme and withdrawing them from Marikana would have been difficult because of the situation unfolding there.
Annandale’s cross-examination continues today.