Marikana commission fate in balance

28 WITNESSES STILL TO BE CALLED AFTER DEADLINE

THE Farlam Commission of Inquiry sitting in Centurion will continue today with its future hanging in the balance as it is awaits President Jacob Zuma’s decision to grant it an extension.

The commission, chaired by retired Judge Ian Farlam, is asking for a third extension after two previous deadlines expired before it could com- plete its work.

The commission was appointed by Zuma to investigate the death of 44 people killed during violent strikes in Marikana, North West, in August last year.

Commission spokesman Tshepo Mahlangu said it submitted papers to the Department of Justice requesting an extension which had to be taken to Zuma for permission.

But, there is no certainty it will continue tomorrow.

“Tomorrow – October 31 – is the deadline for the commission to complete its work. So far 22 witnesses have been called and 28 are still outstanding.

“Whether the commission sits on Friday will depend on whether President Zuma has signed to grant an extension.

“The extension needs to be gazetted before the commission can continue, but gazetting can be done within 12 hours, which means the commission can or cannot sit on Friday,” Mahlangu said.

“The commission has to get to the bottom of the truth of what happened in Marikana.

“It must be comfortable it has established particular facts around what happened.”

Colonel Duncan Scott, the SAPS officer involved in planning the strategy to quell boiling Marikana after 10 people, including two police officers and security guards, died was cross-examined yesterday by Human Rights Commission lawyer Michelle le Roux over the plan to stop the violence.

Scott said they definitely had to do something to put the situation under control after talks between unions collapsed.

Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, representing the families of the 34 miners killed, is scheduled to cross-examine today.