Cops 'withheld Marikana info'

No fear No Favour No Fakes STATS OR EVIDENCE Please.....



20-SEP-2013 | SAPA  

"What makes the revelations an insult to South African citizens, who foot the bill of the commission and the legal representation of the police --all at a cost of R500,000 per day -- is that there are clear attempts at undermining the outcomes of the Commission at our expense as a society.

The postponement of the inquiry into 44 deaths during labour unrest at Marikana last year, is an insult to South Africans, Citizens4Marikana said on Thursday.

"What makes the revelations an insult to South African citizens, who foot the bill of the commission and the legal representation of the police --all at a cost of R500,000 per day -- is that there are clear attempts at undermining the outcomes of the Commission at our expense as a society.

"The fact that the police, at the expense of the taxpayer, has for over a year deemed it appropriate to withhold evidence from the Commission is a clear indictment of the officers involved," the group said in a statement.

Citizens4Marikana said the revelations by evidence leaders at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry confirmed the concerns that people had expressed over the "lack of integrity and transparency" of submissions made at the commission by the police.

On Thursday, the commission said there must be information police had held back that was discovered in the past 10 days.

"In the past 10 days we have discovered through the evidence leaders that there must be info that was not disclosed by the police that seeks to suggest that the information was withheld to try and portray a certain approach to the commission in relation to what has been discovered," spokesman Tshepo Mahlangu said.

National police spokesman Solomon Makgale said the statement by the evidence leaders was "unfortunate and highly prejudicial".

He said the evidence leaders had passed judgment on the police without giving them a chance to explain.

"We regret the approach taken by the evidence leaders and undertake to give any and all answers to the concerns they have raised when the Commission resumes its work next week," Makgale said.

Previously, evidence leader Geoff Budlender, SC, asked that the commission be postponed to allow his team to examine the police evidence.

In Lt-Col Duncan Scott's version on a computer hard drive containing the police's evidence, "some documents have been added and some files we haven't seen before", Budlender told the commission.

He said the police team had been co-operative, but that the process of going through the evidence "could take some time".

Citizens4Marikana said the decision by the police to hide evidence impacted on the miners, security guards and police officers who were injured and killed last year and their families.

"Citizens4Marikana calls on the presidency to intervene with a decisive and clear solution that salvages justice and truth from increasingly disparate trappings of the commission, so that all those who have been deeply affected by this tragedy can heal and achieve recompense.

"Evil prevails when good people do nothing!" it said.

Citizens4Marikana is a group which came together through social media on the first anniversary of last year's violence at Marikana.

The commission postponed its proceedings until Wednesday next week.

Sowetan News

Mashatile to launch 'Freedom Friday'

20-SEP-2013 | SAPA

He would launch it on Friday to mark the lead up to the country celebrating 20 years of freedom and democracy, said government communications spokeswoman Phumla Williams.

Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile is expected to launch "Freedom Fridays" in Soweto, government said on Thursday.

He would launch it on Friday to mark the lead up to the country celebrating 20 years of freedom and democracy, said government communications spokeswoman Phumla Williams.

Citizens were encouraged to use every Friday from September 20 until the end of December 2014 to celebrate the milestones of the country's freedom.

"Freedom Friday is a call on the nation to wear anything that expresses their pride in being South African on Fridays.

"They can wear anything from a jersey of a favourite football or rugby team to traditional wear to show their unity in celebrating this important landmark in our country's history."

Williams said the main aim of Freedom Fridays was to mobilise collective ownership of 20 years of democracy by all sectors of society, to "promote social cohesion and a national identity that is representative of our rich and diverse culture”.

Parents and teachers were urged to educate children about how democracy was achieved

Sowetan News

COMMENTS BY SONNY

DO THEY PERJURE THE STATS AS THEY PERJURE THE MARIKANA KILLINGS?

WHY LAUNCH "FREEDOM FRIDAYS" WHEN THE WHOLE OF SOUTH AFRICA IS SUPPOSED TO BE FREE - EVERY DAY SINCE 1994?>?

IS THERE SOMETHING WE'RE NOT BEING TOLD?

OR IS THIS JUST ANOTHER TACTIC TO DRAW VOTES FOR 2014?