Rustenburg - Firing rubber bullets was meant to be the last resort to disperse striking workers under the police plan to deal with labour unrest in Marikana last year, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday.
This was the testimony of Maj-Gen Charl Annandale, who headed the police special tactical team during the unrest.
Police shot dead 34 striking miners in Marikana, North West, on August 16 while trying to disperse a group gathered on a hill near Lonmin's platinum mine.
The commission is holding public hearings in Rustenburg as part of its investigation into the circumstances surrounding these deaths and those of another 10 people in the week before the shooting.
“The way we intended it to unfold was that after the deployment of the barbed wire, a warning would have been given,” Annandale told the commission.
“Time would have been given for the dispersal and choppers would have been airborne.”
He said police expected most of the striking miners to disperse.
“Should there be people who failed to disperse, a second warning would have been issued,” Annandale testified.
“A line with Nyala vehicles would have been formed. Water cannon would have been placed behind the Nyala.”
He said a dispersal plan would then be put into effect against those who still refused to leave the hill.
“We would have started with the deployment of water cannon. Depending on their response, the plan would have advanced.”
Annandale said police would not have been able to approach the protesting workers with shields and batons, as these would have offered little protection against sharp traditional weapons.
The next phase of the plan was to use stun grenades on uncooperative protesters.
“After 1.5 seconds, the stun grenade gives a double bang. Besides the noise, it causes disorientation,” said Annandale. This would have been followed by the use of gas.
Annandale said there were two groups on the hill, and police expected resistance only from the smaller group of around 500 people.
He said the people in this group wore similar clothes and their leaders were disciplined.
“They never acted unless they had a command... they would sit together and stand together.”
Police had anticipated that, at the third stage, the group would break up into smaller groups, making it easier to handle.
Sapa