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Miners gathered at the koppie in Nkaneng behind the Lonmin mine on the outskirts of Rustenburg in 2013.
Felix Dlangamandla / Photo24
- A video was shown in court showing alleged crime scenes of striking police forces and mining workers.
- The scene was recorded in the K3 shaft of the Lonmin mine on August 13, 2012, three days before the Marikana massacre, a court has heard.
- The deceased were Semi Jokansi, Phumzile Sokhanyile, Thembelakhe Mati, Hendrick Monene and Seal Lepaaku.
Human blood spilled on the ground and the bloody bodies of two policemen and three striking miners. These are some of the images captured by the now retired police officer, Petty Officer Rapheso Masinya, who represented himself in court.
The scene was recorded in the K3 shaft of the Lonmin mine on August 13, 2012, three days before the Marikana massacre, it is alleged.
The deceased were later identified as Semi Jokansi, Phumzile Sokhanyile, Thembelakhe Mati, Hendrick Monene and Seal Lepaaku.
Among those captured in the video is Mgcineni Noki, popularly known as Mambush, who is in verbal contact with the police, led by former Northwest Police Commissioner Major General William Mpembe.
READ | Marikana test: CCTV operator describes scenes
In the video that was played at the North West High Court in Mahikeng, Mpembe addressed a group of miners, who appeared to be on their knees and armed with spears and knobs.
Mpembe is seen pleading with the miners to surrender their weapons and leave the site.
Noki then appears to stand up and answer that they should go where they are. They were not willing to leave the place.
“… we are not going to damage anything. We are prepared to stay here,” Noki replied.
Mpembe replied: “We beg you. We did not come here with the intention of arresting you. Our problem is the things (weapons) you carry. They are illegal. If everyone wants to leave, they can go, but make sure that you hand over the things you have in your possession. The things you own are illegal.
Gather
“You have to meet as one group, so that your leaders can address you. You are not allowed to be in separate groups because there is another group meeting in the koppie. Meeting like that is illegal. Here to tell you never again get together that way.
“You are not supposed to carry spears. Those spears are illegal,” Mpembe said.
Noki replied, “We are not here to commit an offense. It is better that we go with you with these things (weapons) that we carry. We are not fighting. Let us all go together to the koppie, where we will deliver our weapons.
READ | Marikana’s trial: Former policeman recorded scenes of bodies found ‘3 days before the massacre’
“You must take the employer to the koppie for answers. We want that person. Don’t hit us. You must go to the mine and bring the employer to respond to our request for money.
“… our employer previously sent people who didn’t give us the answers we want. We carry these things because mine security opened fire and shot two of our people,” Noki said.
Shooting
Noki later told Mpembe that a person from the National Union of Mine Workers had previously shot two of its striking members.
“We want to take those spears from them and I’m starting to count,” Mpembe warned the kneeling miners with their hands raised.
“I have no problem with you. All I want is your spears. If I don’t get those spears, I’m not going to let you go,” Mpembe repeated.
Then the miners walked away singing and brandishing their weapons.
Later in the video, three miners and two policemen are, separately, immobile.
An injured miner, who identified himself as Zolile Boqo, is being treated by doctors.
Mpembe faces four counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
Mpembe and his former colleague Salmon Vermaak each face one charge of thwarting the ends of justice and another of giving false information under oath before the Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the Marikana massacre between 2013 and 2014.
Vermaak and police officers Nkosana Mguye, Collin Mogale, Joseph Sekgwetla and Khazamola Makhubela face a murder charge from Sokhanyile.
The trial continues.
