Mining deaths a joke to police chief
October 24, 2012
Riah Phiyega
National Police
Commissioner Riah Phiyega reportedly laughed and joked as footage of the
killing of 34 miners in a clash with police was screened at the Farlam
Commission of Inquiry, The Times reported on Wednesday.
Phiyega reportedly joked
with a state law adviser as a prelude to the killings was screened at the
Rustenburg Civic Centre.
Surrounded by her senior
officers, Phiyega smiled as she watched.
It was only after screams
of horror echoed across the room, as the footage was played without any
warning, that Phiyega’s “humorous demeanour changed to that of an ice queen,
blatantly ignoring the wailing families”, the report continued.
“…Phiyega stared straight
ahead, ignoring a widow screaming at her for answers about her husband’s
death,” the newspaper reported.
“Why did they do this? Why
did your policemen kill my husband? What did he do?” the woman screamed at her.
Later she was seen
comforting one of the widows of the two policemen killed ahead of the August 16
shooting.
Asked repeatedly for
comment on why she did not help those upset, and what she had been joking
about, Phiyega said: “I am not here for that. I am here for the commission and
the commission only.”
Bishop Jo Seroka, a talks
facilitator for the miners, said: “She sat there laughing and did nothing. You
would expect a sense of remorse and empathy which was non-existent.” – Sapa
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