The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said on Thursday it would lay charges against deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, former police minister Nathi Mthethwa and top police management for the deaths of 44 people in Marikana three years ago.

”We are opening these cases because we believe only a proper police investigation would reveal all. [Retired judge Ian] Farlam dealt with what was presented to him voluntarily, he relied on tapes and other information presented to him. It is only if Ramaphosa is charged through the Criminal Procedure Act and information is therefore retrieved from his cellphone and emails for that period in 2012 will we know more,” EFF leader Julius Malema said in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Malema said they believed a police investigation would unearth more into the 2012 killings. He said only a police investigation would reveal what happened before the incident where thirty-four striking mine workers were killed on August 16, 2012, while ten people, including two policemen and two Lonmin security guards, were killed in the preceding week.

”We are convinced that there is dangerous information hidden in Ramaphosa’s electronics such as cellphones and laptops…same as Mthethwa, [former North West police commissioner Zukiswa] Mbombo and [national police commissioner Riah] Phiyega,” Malema told journalists in Johannesburg.

The EFF has held a view that Ramaphosa was responsible for the deaths of the mine workers. Ramaphosa held shares in Lonmin, among many financial interests he had in various companies, until he was appointed as deputy president in 2014.

Malema said the commission, appointed by President Jacob Zuma to investigate and headed by Farlam, did a good job.

”We think Farlam did a good job, he did what he was asked to do, although within a short period because of the terms of reference. He did not have an opportunity to dig deep, but we thank him for setting the ball rolling on this matter, he could have done more…but that does not mean we think he was influenced.”

Claims would also be lodged with Lonmin to compensate the families of those who died. A claim of R10-million for each victim’s family, and R5-million for each worker who was injured would be lodged against Lonmin, said Malema.

”We believe this is enough for the families and the workers, although it would not bring back the lives lost.”

Malema said the EFF would seek to press charges against Ramaphosa and Mthethwa of allegedly conspiring to kill mine workers. They would lay a similar complaint against Lonmin management and of not doing enough to protect workers, while seeking to have Phiyega and Mbombo charged with ordering police to shoot striking miners. Malema said the charges would be laid in Marikana on Friday.

The Farlam commission found that Lonmin did not do its best to resolve disputes that arose between itself and its workers. It also found that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and its rival, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), did not exercise effective control over their members.

The commission called for an overhaul in public order policing and indicated that most of the officers were inadequately trained in crowd control. It recommended an inquiry into Phiyega’s fitness to hold office.

Ramaphosa and Mthethwa were cleared of any wrongdoing by the commission.