A SURVIVOR of the Marikana massacre yesterday defended the carrying of weapons during an unprotected wage strike at Lonmin mine, saying he believed every man, including President Jacob Zuma, carries an assegai.

"I think the president himself carries an assegai," Mzoxolo Magidiwana said when evidence leader Thantaswa Lupuwana raised concerns about the miners being heavily armed.

Magidiwana was testifying at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating the circumstances leading to the death of 34 miners who were gunned down by police on August 16 at a koppie near the mine.

Magidiwana said miners who had embarked on an unprotected strike had not intended to use the weapons on police as they had nothing against them.

They instead carried them to protect themselves from National Union of Mineworkers officials, who had shot at them on August 11.

Magidiwana also blamed Lonmin bosses, saying they could have averted the tragedy had they acceded to their wage increase demand.

But Lonmin counsel Terry Motau challenged him, asking him how mine bosses could have come to address "dangerously armed" miners at the koppie.

Motau said the employer took cognisance of the brutal deaths before August 16 in deciding not to engage with miners unless they disarmed .