Rustenburg - The Farlam commission of inquiry has not seen new cellphone video footage released by a UK television channel on the Marikana shooting, an official said on Monday.
“We do not know about it. Really we can't comment on something we don't know of,” said spokesman Phuti Setati.
He said a decision to comment would come from the commissioners and the evidence leaders.
The video was released by Channel 4 News on Sunday and shows how police kept their guns on two men while they crawled through a field.
The video shows an officer from the tactical response team calling for restraint when a miner is on the move.
“The guy is there running. Wait, don't shoot him, don't shoot him,” the officer is heard shouting.
However, gunshots are heard and then the camera moves over the lifeless body of a man.
The voice of another officer is heard: “That motherf****r. I shot him at least ten times.”
Commission of inquiry spokesman Phuti Setati said the commission has not seen the video.
“We do not know about it. Really we can't comment on something we don't know of.” He said a decision to comment would come from the commissioners and the evidence leaders.
The journalist, Inigo Gilmore, reports that the dead man was later identified and that he was shot 12 times.
Later, a police officer is heard speaking in Afrikaans about someone having a smaller gun and he imitates the sounds of the gunshots as it went off.
Two policemen filmed the footage.
“(The police video was taken) a few hundred metres away from the media and crucially, out of sight of their cameras where most of the miners actually died,” Gilmore reported.
The report showed the footage that was shown by other media houses and during the inquiry.
Gilmore said the police video raised more questions of what happened at the koppie.
On Monday the video caused a stir on the social media website Twitter.
On Twitter (at)B_K_chronicles tweeted: “I guess its safe to say cops simply murdered people in cold blood. This video tells a whole new angle now!” One tweeter named (at)Fergs24 called the policeman's comments disgraceful and added “I feel sick”.
Another tweeter said: “That Marikana shooting video report just reminds one of times best forgotten”.
On August 16, 34 striking mineworkers were shot dead and 78 wounded when police opened fire while trying to disperse a group gathered on a hill near the mine.
In the preceding week, 10 people, including two police officers and the two security guards, were hacked to death.
The commission continues in Rustenburg. - Sapa