_: President Jacob Zuma has cut short his attendance of the 32nd Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in Maputo, Mozambique in order to visit Rustenburg this afternoon, 17 August 2012.

A dispute at the Lonmin Marikana mine in Rustenburg has claimed several lives since last week, culminating in the tragic shooting of armed protesting strikers yesterday.

The President asked the new SADC chairperson President Guebuza of Mozambique and his colleagues the SADC Heads of State and Government to release him so that he can go and attend to the matters at home.

The President is concerned about the violent nature of the protest, especially given that the Constitution and labour laws allow enough avenues to deal with issues, and is sympathetic to calls for a commission of inquiry.