Workers at Amplats went on an illegal strike on September 12(SABC)
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A second man has died in violent protests by striking miners at the Nkaneng informal settlement in Photsaneng near Rustenburg, police said. "He sustained two bullet wounds and succumbed to his injury in hospital," said Captain Dennis Adriao. "About 400 mineworkers gathered at the informal settlement around 6am and the man was shot and wounded. He was airlifted to hospital."
Adriao said a group of striking Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) workers were apparently behind the shooting. A man was burnt to death in the morning at the informal settlement, and a minibus taxi and a car were torched. "Forty people have been arrested for public violence," he said.
A group of striking workers gathered at the Bathopele Mine. "The police and mine security dispersed that group," Adriao said.
North West police spokesperson Brigadier Thulani Ngubane advised motorists to avoid the Marikana road past Bleskop stadium in Nkaneng because it was barricaded with stones.
North West Taxi Council spokesperson Bernard Afrika said taxi operations in Photsaneng, Bleskop, and the surrounding areas had been suspended for safety reasons. "We have suspended operations until the police restore order and it is safe to operate. The primary task of a taxi is to transport people," he said.
Passengers and drivers ran away when the taxis were stopped and later set alight.
Afrika said two minibus taxis were transporting people to work and other places when they were burnt. "Not all the people in the taxis were going to the mines. Some were children going to school and others were women going to clinics and other places. We cannot confirm whether they were going to the mine."
Passengers and drivers ran away when the taxis were stopped and later set alight.
Workers at Amplats went on an illegal strike on September 12, demanding a monthly salary of R16 000 and allowances. The company fired 12 000 workers after they failed to appear in disciplinary hearings.
Despite the dismissals, workers have vowed not to appeal and still regard themselves as Amplats workers.
Yesterday, they marched to Num's offices in Rustenburg to de-register their membership with the union.
