South African Police chief protests call for criminal charges

February 4, 2016 7:40 AM

"Such a tragic event has been used as a witchhunt against me and others," Phiyega told a news conference on Wednesday. "I am not a criminal."

Police officers stand guard to prevent protesters from proceeding with their march in Rustenburg, South Africa's North West Province September 16, 2012. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

South Africa's national police chief, suspended over her role in the 2012 killing of 34 striking miners at Lonmin'sMarikana mine, said on Wednesday a watchdog's recommendation to prosecute her amounted to a witchhunt.

The incident, the country's worst police killing since the end of apartheid rule in 1994, sparked intense public and media criticism of the police, mining companies, unions and the governing African National Congress.

On Tuesday, South Africa's police watchdog said it had recommended to prosecutors that Riah Phiyega, the national police chief at the time of the Marikana killings, face criminal charges for defeating the ends of justice.

Phiyega was suspended in October last year pending an investigation set up by President Jacob Zuma into allegations of misconduct in how the country's first female police chief handled labour unrest at Lonmin in 2012.

"Investigations are not complete. I'm concerned about undignified haste to register charges against me," she said, in reference to the ongoing presidential investigation.