Pretoria: President Jacob Zuma will today visit the Marikana area where 34 people were killed in clashes with police last week.

Last week Friday, the President cut short his participation in the SADC Summit in Mozambique to return to South Africa following the deaths at Lonmin, to be with those affected during the country’s hour of mourning.

At the conclusion of his visit, he announced that a judicial Commission of Inquiry would be established to get to the root cause of the shooting incident. He also declared a period of national mourning.

According to the Presidency, the President’s visit today will be to provide a message of hope to the mining community and to get a first-hand account of what happened.

Addressing the media this morning, Cabinet spokesperson Jimmy Manyi said the judicial Commission of Inquiry, appointed to investigate events around Marikana, should be allowed to gather facts on the death of mine workers.

“Cabinet is waiting for the outcome of the inquiry,” he said.

Manyi said the Inter-Ministerial Committee appointed by the President was in Marikana assisting and providing counselling to the bereaved families.

“The team ensures that the families are counselled and they are also providing full range of support,” he said, adding that government’s focus was to ensure that those families received support.