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News24 reports that a Public Order Policing (POP) commander testified on Tuesday in the North West High Court in Mahikeng that he took a step back as operational commander at Lonmin K3 shaft in Marikana on 13 August 2012.
The officer told the court he did so because his senior, former provincial deputy police commissioner Major-General William Mpembe, asked him to step back. Mpembe then proceeded to take the lead. Senior State prosecutor, advocate Kenneth Mashile, led Lieutenant-Colonel Omphile Joseph Merafe's evidence in the murder trial of Mpembe and five other officers before Judge Tebogo Djaje. The police officer is attached to Rustenburg POP and is the unit's commander. He detailed his version of the events, which resulted in five people being killed after police clashed with striking mineworkers. Mpembe is in the dock with his former colleagues, retired Colonel Salmon Vermaak, Constable Nkosana Mguye, and Warrant Officers Collin Mogale, Joseph Sekgwetla and Khazamola Makhubela. Mineworkers Semi Jokanisi, Phumzile Sokhanyile and Thembelakhe Mati, and police officers Hendrick Monene and Sello Lepaaku died on that day. Merafe stated: "Because the general refused to let me do my job as an operational commander, I stood back and let him continue with his own thing." Merafe will continue his testimony on Wednesday. The trial continues until Friday.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sesona Ngqakamba at News24
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