Rustenburg - An affidavit by Lt-Col Duncan Scott mirrors a statement presented by the SA Police Service, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Monday.
“The presentation made to the commission by the police is almost identical to Scott's detailed statement,” said Dumisa Ntsebeza, for the families of the miners killed at Marikana.
The commission, chaired by retired judge Ian Farlam, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 44 people during wage-related unrest in Marikana last year.
Police shot dead 34 striking mineworkers in Marikana on August 16. Ten people, including two police officers, were killed in the preceding week.
Maj-Gen Charl Annandale, who headed the police tactical response team during the unrest, agreed the statements were alike.
“It's correct chairperson, there are similarities between the two.”
Annandale maintained this did not mean that the plan to disperse the striking miners it was Scott's.
“Our submission will be that it's very clear that he 1/8Scott 3/8 devised the plan. We will argue that there were no changes made to it,” Ntsebeza said.
Annandale disagreed.
“I don't agree with advocate Ntsebeza. There were other options presented but those couldn't be implemented,” said Annandale.
“Scott was appointed to co-ordinate the plan,” he said.
Ntsebeza said there was nothing in the police notes that showed which inputs and omissions had been brought forward. Annandale said there were small changes to the plan.
According to the initial plan the police would encircle the koppie where the miners had gathered, but that was amended, said Annandale.
He maintained several small changes were made before the plan was implemented. - Sapa