Phiyega stands alone

National police commissioner Riah Phiyega’s top-level support crumbled yesterday when eight of the nine provincial police commissioners grovelled for forgiveness after publicly backing her in the wake of the findings of the Marikana inquiry.

Irate MPs took turns at lambasting police top brass for their public statement of support for Phiyega.

Deputy Police Minister Maggie Sotyu distanced the police ministry from the provincial commissioners’ statement‚ saying the ministry had not known about it.

“It is not the first time that a national police commissioner has been challenged‚ but there was never a time when colleagues made such statements‚” she said.

Phiyega has been under fire since the police shot dead 34 miners at Marikana on August 16 2012. There have been calls from the police ministry and the public for President Jacob Zuma to fire her.