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Miners charged with murder

August 30, 2012

Mine workers arrested during a union strike in South Africa have been charged with murder. The 34 workers killed on August 16 were shot dead by police.

https://p.dw.com/p/161Ch
Mine workers arrested during a union strike in South Africa have been charged with murder, over the police shooting of 34 of their colleagues.
Arbeitskampf in südafrikanischer Mine MarikanaImage: Reuters

Police shot the workers at Lonmin platinum mine after the deaths of 10 others, including two police officers, following a stand-off. They said the shootings were in self-defense.

A spokesman for South Africa's prosecutors office said the 270 workers had been charged with murder under "common purpose law."

The violence was sparked by a wage dispute at the mine and a turf war between rival trade unions. The shootings caused an uproar in South Africa and around the world, and led to President Jacob Zuma denying the killings were a government directive.

"Those saying our government gave orders to kill are misinformed because it will never be our policy to harm those we represent," Zuma said during a visit to the mine on August 22.

Miners facing murders charges # 31.08.2012

The 270 workers were arrested following the shootings, and all are in custody.

One African legal expert has questioned the use of the "common purpose" law under which the miners were charged. This means all who participated in the riot can be held liable for the outcome.

"In charging the miners for the death of miners killed by the police, I don't see how common purpose doctrine could be used here," said Vincent Nmehille, a law professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

jr/pfd (AFP, AP, dpa)