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Ipid lays charges against Phiyega over Marikana

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has announced that it has registered cases against four people involved in the Marikana shootings‚ including suspended national commissioner Riah Phiyega and former North West commissioner Zukiswa Mbombo.

Ipid acting director Israel Kgamanyane told Parliament’s portfolio committee on police that the team tasked with implementing the Farlam Commission’s findings had registered criminal charges against Phiyega and Mbombo in September.

Cases of defeating the ends of justice were registered in January against Brigadier Ledile Malahlela and Major-General Ganasen Naidoo.

 Malahlela‚ who did not testify at the Farlam Commission due to a stress disorder is being charged following the disappearance of a memory stick containing the minutes and recordings of an extraordinary meeting held by South African Police Service (SAPS) officials where the decision to act against striking workers at Marikana was taken.

 Naidoo‚ meanwhile‚ was tasked with ensuring that medical assistance reached those injured at scene one‚ but opted instead to attend to a scene where two of his team members was involved in the shooting.

Kgamanyane said that Naidoo had also not handed in his own weapon for ballistics testing following the shooting. It emerged during the commission that he had discharged his firearm.

Ipid said the charges against Phiyega and Mbombo have been sent to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a decision to prosecute‚ and other charges could and would be formulated as investigations proceed.

 Charges against Malahlela and Naidoo have been formulated but have not yet been sent to the NPA for a decision.

The Farlam Commission investigated the circumstances surrounding the six-week strike in August 2012 at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine near Rustenburg‚ which left 44 people dead.– TMG Digital/TMG Parliamentary Bureau