MARIKANA COP GUNS FOR PHIYEGA
Officer injured at Marikana wants action
A POLICEMAN who escaped with his life after an attack by Marikana mineworkers is taking aim at national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega.
Lieutenant Shitumo Baloyi was severely injured when striking Lonmin mineworkers attacked him on August 13 2012.
This was three days before the Marikana massacre in which police opened fire, killing 34 mineworkers and injuring more than 70 others.
Baloyi has left the SAPS due to post-traumatic stress disorder.
But, the injured former cop now wants to participate in the fitness for office inquiry into Phiyega and blames her for negligence that led to his injuries and the deaths of his two colleagues.
Warrant officers Sello Lepaaku and Tsietsi Monene were killed during the same attack in which Baloyi was injured.
Baloyi ’ s lawyer Mpho Mofomme said his client wants Phiyega, together with former North West provincial commissioner Zukiswa Mbombo, to account for their conduct during the strike that led to the deaths of 44 people.
Mbombo, who had no public order policing experience, retired from the SAPS in May, just weeks before President Jacob Zuma released the Marikana report.
The Marikana Commission of Inquiry lambasted Phiyega’s handling of the strike. Zuma said he had informed Phiyega of the report’s recommendations to set up an inquiry into her fitness for office.
The report by retired judge Ian Farlam also suggested there was a possibility that Baloyi, and the dependants of his two colleagues killed that day, may have claims against Phiyega. Farlam found that there was a prima facie case against Phiyega and Mbombo, who knew the true facts of a police pre- sentation at the commission which contained incorrect facts.
Mofomme said there was also a pending internal inquiry on the circumstances surrounding Baloyi ’ s injury and his colleagues’ deaths. “There ’ s no indication as to when they will start the inquiry, they told us they would wait for the outcome of the commission.”
Mofomme said his client was medically boarded earlier this year. “We have lodged a claim with the Compensation Fund.” He said Baloyi lodged his claim last year.
On Friday, Sowetan reported that Baloyi and Lepaaku, who is also represented by Mofomme, would ask National Director of Public Prosecutions and North West director of public prosecutions to re-open the attempted murder and murder prosecutions.
Zuma’s spokesman Harold Maloka said Zuma would provide details of the inquiry into Phiyega in due course. The police’s Solomon Makgale did not respond to requests for comment.