EFF lays murder charges against Ramaphosa
SOUTH AFRICA – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) laid criminal charges against Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and five others at the Marikana police station near Rustenburg on Friday.
“We are not going to rest until one of them is jailed,” party leader Julius Malema told supporters outside the police station.
“We have opened charges of attempted murder, murder and conspiracy to murder against Ramaphosa, [former police minister] Nathi Mthethwa, [former mineral resources minister] Susan Shabangu, [national police commissioner] Riah Phiyega, [former North West police commissioner] Zukiswa Mbombo and [mining company] Lonmin.”
The charge relates to the killing of 34 mineworkers in Marikana in 2012.
Malema said they wanted the families of the 34 mineworkers to be paid R10 million each and those injured to be paid a minimum of R5 million in compensation.
“This is to ensure the State learns a lesson and this incident is not repeated.”
The EFF says it believes Ramaphosa should be held responsible for the mineworkers’ deaths.
Ramaphosa held shares at Lonmin until he was appointed deputy president in 2014.
The Farlam Commission of Inquiry, investigating the shooting, cleared Ramaphosa, Mthethwa and Shabangu. The commissioned recommended an investigation should be instituted against Phiyega and Mombo.
“The police must apply for Section 204 and have all records of Cyril’s phone calls and emails he received and sent. It might be uncovered he made a call to the president [Jacob Zuma],” Malema said.
“It cannot be correct to find against Phiyega and Mbombo. They are small fish. The big fish are Ramaphosa, Mthethwa and Shanbangu.”
He also called on police watchdog Independent Police Investigative Directorate to investigate cases workers opened against the police.
“They have been saying they were waiting for the commission to complete its work. The commission is over,” he said.
Malema said they would monitor the investigations into their case on a daily basis. News24.com
