The Farlam Commission of Inquiry report’s was criticised at a meeting in Wonderkop, Marikana near Rustenburg on Sunday for certain findings it made against Amcu.

“Amcu was not existing in Lonmin in 2012. We did not even know Joseph Mathunjwa [the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union president],” mineworker Lindani Skosana said.

“We saw him for the first time when he pleaded with us to leave the koppie, he was kneeling and tears [were] running down his cheeks as he pleaded. It is unfair for the commission to find against Amcu.”

Lawyers for the Marikana widows, the injured and arrested as well as Amcu, were briefing their clients about the commission’s report and to decide on the next step forward.

Skosana said Mathunjwa pleaded with them to leave on August 16, 2012 because he ‘sensed’ that a decision to harm mineworkers had already being taken.

“He [Mathunjwa] told us to leave to avoid bloodshed. It is strange that findings were made against Amcu.”

Xolani Nzuza, who was one of the workers who testified, said the commission wasted their time because it cleared former Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, former Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The commission recommended that national police commissioner Riah Phiyega must face an inquiry into her fitness to hold office,

“Phiyega has no powers, if you charged her, Ramaphosa , Shabangu and Mthethwa must be charged. People were killed like dogs,” he said.

Another mineworker Simphiwe Booi said the commission must redo its work. He appealed to the legal team to take the matter to a higher level.

President Jacob Zuma released the report on Thursday.

The commission has found that officials of Amcu did not exercise effective control over its members and supporters in ensuring that their conduct was lawful and did not endanger the lives of others.

They sang provocative songs and made inflammatory remarks, which tended to aggravate an already volatile situation, the commission found.

The commission also noted that Mathunjwa, did his best before the shootings to persuade the strikers to lay down their arms and leave the koppie.

Forty-four people were killed in Marikana in 2012 following a violent unprotected strike at Lonmin mines, 10 others including two policemen and two Lonmin security guards were killed in the preceding week.

After the incident, President Jacob Zuma appointed retired Judge Ian Farlam to investigate the shooting at the small mining town. News24