Marikana commission visits miners' hostel

The hostel is about 35km from Rustenburg in the North West where the commission will commence with its official hearings on Wednesday.

The inspection, by Judge Ian Farlam and his team, began on Monday with visits to different spots where 34 striking Lonmin platinum mine workers were killed in clashes with police.

Apart from the visits to the hostel, where at least two people were reported to have died, the team also gathered information at a nearby National Union of Mineworkers offices and the Andrew Saffy Memorial Hospital operated by Lonmin.

It is at that hospital that 56 miners who had been shot were admitted. One of them died on arrival, according to hospital authorities.

The commission was appointed by President Jacob Zuma to get to the bottom of the incident that took place on 16 August and the days preceding that. The commission is set to start with the official hearings at Rustenburg Civic Centre tomorrow.

The information gathered at the scene of the shootings is expected to be used during the evidence gathering and cross examination of witnesses.