Mineworkers were undertaking their own scene inspection on Monday, separately from that of a judicial commission of inquiry into the shootings at the Marikana mine in the North West.

A miner, who was not speaking English, showed Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) leader Joseph Mathunjwa areas where striking mine workers were shot by police.

He pointed to an area surrounded by rocks where a body was found, and indicated that the miner was shot from a helicopter above.

Mathunjwa, wearing a white Amcu T-shirt, took photographs and asked questions. A group of miners following them around.

Thirty-four miners were killed and 78 were wounded when police opened fire on them while trying to disperse a group of protesters near Lonmin's platinum mine in Marikana in August.

Some reports since the event have suggested that several miners were shot dead among rocks a distance from where the police clashed with workers.

It was at this place that experts pointed out to members of the commission on Monday where bullet casings, stun grenades and rubber bullets had been found.

A large crowd followed retired judge Ian Farlam and his team as they conducted an in loco inspection before public hearings by the commission start in Rustenburg.