He simply criticised a government unwilling to get involved in a dangerous situation, ineffective unions that have lost the confidence of their members, and an increasingly unruly workforce frustrated, as we all are, by the lack of progress in education, health and so on. - Michael Hook, Greenside

LET US be quite clear that the miners, prior to the shooting, blockaded the mining property, murdered guards and policemen and threatened anyone who went against their will.

There is no excuse for the subsequent panic by the police who opened fire on a stampeding mob. There should be no mercy shown to police officers who shot fleeing miners in the back or executed them with a shot to the back of the head.

But the reality remains that the illegally striking miners were provocative in the extreme and thoroughly deserved strong action to be taken against them.

I saw no mention of Ramaphosa advocating killing or murdering them. That he wields influence in the ANC is a fact and that he used it is to be expected. This does not make him guilty of cynicism or murder. - Ron Claassens, by e-mail

RAMAPHOSA'S reaction to the killing of 10 people by lawless criminals was on point. - Mandla, by e-mail

RAMAPHOSA'S e-mails are reasoned and factually correct. Your editorialising reporting is hysterical. Calling on the police to act on unlawful actions is a far cry from "premeditated murder", as advocate Dali Mpofu claims. - The Judge, by e-mail