_: Some media houses have mistakenly reported that the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Marikana tragedy announced by President Jacob Zuma today is the commission of inquiry into the tragedy. This is not the case.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee led by the Minister in the Presidency, Mr Collins Chabane, will be responsible for leading and coordinating assistance to the families of all who died in Marikana, from the 10 to 16 August in separate incidents.

They will coordinate support with the identification of family members who have died, with counselling services, burials, transport and any other logistical support relating to the tragedy.

The members and terms of reference of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Marikana tragedy will be announced in the next few days and the function of the commission is totally different from that of the Ministerial Committee.

The responsibility of the Ministerial Committee will end once the burials have taken place and normal citizen support mechanisms will then continue.