Nine senior police officers are expected to appear in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday to face charges relating to the killing of mineworkers in Marikana near Rustenburg, North West in 2012.

They will face charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice amongst others.

The court appearance followed recommendations by the Farlam Commission of Inquiry which investigated incidents leading up and including August 16, 2012, when 34 striking mineworkers were killed when the police opened fire on them.

Following the Farlam report, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) recommended the prosecution of certain police officers for the offences of murder, attempted murder, defeating and/or obstructing the ends of justice, contravention of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Act and contravention of the Commissions Act by giving false testimony.

Ipid investigations found a Major General who was responsible for overall command of the police operation at Marikana to have been remiss in his conduct when dealing with the incident of August 13, 2012, which led to the deaths of two policemen, Warrant officer Tsietsi Hendrik Monene from the Public Order police in Mpumalanga and Warrant Officer Sello Lepaaku from the North West Public Order police, as well as striking mineworkers Thembelakhe Mati, Semi Jokanisi and Phumzile Sokhanyile.

The General also allegedly ignored the advice of experienced Public Order police officers on dealing with the crowd control situation and contravened the SAPS Standing Order relating to crowd control.

A Brigadier heading the Provincial Detectives unit, another Brigadier who was in charge of detectives at the detention centre, and a Major have been charged for defeating the ends of justice by concealing a death in police custody.