Lawyers for mineworkers are set to argue on Monday why President Jacob Zuma should urgently release the Marikana report. The urgent application in the High Court in Pretoria comes after they wrote to Zuma two weeks ago, warning him to release the report within two days or face legal action.

The application is by mineworkers who were wounded and arrested during the August 2012 violence at Lonmin’s mine in Marikana, North West, as well as by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu). The Farlam Commission of Inquiry was established to investigate the killing of 34 miners in Marikana on August 12, and the deaths of 10 people, including two security guards and two police officers, the preceding week.

The commission’s chair, retired judge Ian Farlam, handed a report to Zuma at the end of March. In an answering affidavit filed on Friday, Zuma reportedly said it was “naïve” to expect that he could release the report so soon. The City Press reported him as saying in his affidavit that it would take time to make sure the report got the full attention it deserved.

“These anticipated political ramifications require that I fully understand the consequences of the report, least of all because I will have to address the public, if not the nation, on its contents, and answer important [and difficult] questions on its meaning and impact.”

Zuma said in Parliament that he would release the report before the end of June. News24