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IOL reports that seventeen Marikana mineworkers will know on Friday whether charges against them are to be dropped or whether they will stand trial on murder charges related to events shortly before the 2012 massacre at the Lonmin platinum mine.
The mineworkers appeared in the North West High Court sitting in Mogwase on charges related to the murder of 10 people in the days preceding 16 August 2012, the day on which 34 mineworkers were killed by the police during a wildcat strike at Lonmin. The NPA said the matter was set for trial from 6 to 10 March, but one of the accused was not present on the first day and the matter was rolled over to the next day. “The State indicated on the record that it was ready to proceed with the trial. However, the defence attorneys are reluctant to proceed as they want the matter to be postponed or struck off the roll, pending the outcome of the review application they registered with the Gauteng division of the High Court, to have all charges against them withdrawn," National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in the North West division, Henry Mamothame advised. “The State opposes this move as an order was granted by the North West judge president for the trial to resume amid the pending review application. The State also believes it is in the interest of justice for the trial to commence, considering the interest of the families of the deceased and of society in this matter,” Mamothame indicated. Both the State and the accused’s legal representatives have completed their arguments and the sitting judge is expected to make a judgment on Friday on the postponement, or whether the court will exercise its inherent jurisdiction to strike the matter off the roll.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Molaole Montsho at IOL
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