Rustenberg - Women who lost husbands in the Marikana shooting are in a difficult position as only one member of each family will be allowed to attend the hearing into their deaths, the Farlam commission heard on Monday.
Nicole Lewis, representing the families, said that initially two relatives were to be taken to Rustenburg in the North West for the inquiry, but on Saturday the families were informed only one could attend.
“This has two implications… widows must choose between attending and their culture.”
The culture of many of the women dictated they were not permitted to travel alone while in mourning.
Lewis said the matter needed to be placed on record because this caused the women “pain and indignity”.
Thirty-four miners were killed and 78 wounded when police opened fire on them near Lonmin's platinum mine in Marikana on August 16. The judicial commission, chaired by retired judge Ian Farlam, was holding an inquiry into the shooting.
Dali Mpofu, representing the injured and arrested protesters, was scheduled to continue cross-examining crime scene expert Captain Apollo Mohlaki on Monday. - Sapa