South Africa orders inquiry into mine shooting
- 12 years ago
Officers patrol a crime scene where 34 miners were gunned down by South African police.
An inquiry has been launched into the shooting, which was the bloodiest security operation since the end of white rule.
The miners were shot dead during a strike. Most were armed with machetes and sticks.
The incident rekindled images of brutality in South Africa's apartheid era.
Following the shooting, President Jacob Zuma cut short a trip to Mozambique and visited the area.
He ordered an investigation into what went wrong.
SOUNDBITE: SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA SAYING (English):
"We have to uncover the truth about what happened here. In this regard I have decided to institute the commission of inquiry. The inquiry will enable us to get to the real cause of the incident and derive the necessary lessons too."
The president called the loss of life "tragic" and "unacceptable".
He urged South Africa to unite in mourning.
An inquiry has been launched into the shooting, which was the bloodiest security operation since the end of white rule.
The miners were shot dead during a strike. Most were armed with machetes and sticks.
The incident rekindled images of brutality in South Africa's apartheid era.
Following the shooting, President Jacob Zuma cut short a trip to Mozambique and visited the area.
He ordered an investigation into what went wrong.
SOUNDBITE: SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA SAYING (English):
"We have to uncover the truth about what happened here. In this regard I have decided to institute the commission of inquiry. The inquiry will enable us to get to the real cause of the incident and derive the necessary lessons too."
The president called the loss of life "tragic" and "unacceptable".
He urged South Africa to unite in mourning.