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A Reuters cameraman said he saw at least seven bodies after the shooting, which occurred when police laying out barricades of barbed wire were outflanked by some of an estimated 3,000 miners massed on a rocky outcrop near the mine, 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.

Police officers said talks with leaders of the radical Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) had broken down, leaving no option but to disperse them by force.

"Today is unfortunately D-day," spokesman Dennis Adriao said.

Ten people, including two policemen, have died in nearly a week of fighting between rival worker factions at the mine, the latest platinum plant to be hit by fallout from an eight-month union turf war in the world's main producer of the precious metal.

On Wednesday, up to 3,000 police officers, including members of an elite, camouflage-wearing riot control unit backed by helicopters and horses, confronted the striking rock-drill operators, but there were no clashes.

Before the police advance, Joseph Mathunjwa, president of AMCU, which has been on a big recruitment push in South Africa's platinum mines, said there would be bloodshed if police moved in.

"We're going nowhere," he shouted through a loudhailer, to cheers from the crowd. "If need be, we're prepared to die here."

SHARES TUMBLE

The unrest has forced Marikana's London-headquartered owner to halt production at all its South African operations, which account for 12 percent of global platinum output.

Lonmin said it had lost the equivalent of 15,000 ounces of platinum from the six-day disruption, and was unlikely to meet its full-year production target of 750,000 ounces.

Its London-listed shares were down more than 6 percent on Thursday, bringing total losses since the violence began to more than 13 percent.

The Marikana strikers have not made their demands explicit, although much of the bad blood stems from a turf war between AMCU and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the dominant union for the last two decades.

At least three people were killed in a similar round of fighting in January that led to a six-week closure of the world's largest platinum mine, run by Impala Platinum. That helped push the platinum price up 15 percent.

South Africa is home to 80 percent of the world's known platinum reserves, but rising power and labour costs and a sharp drop in the price of the precious metal this year have left many mines struggling to keep their heads above water.

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Mon May 20 05:15:19 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 16, 2012

Mrazane

This AMCU union must be held responsible for this bloodshed. There was decison by the courts recently which held unions for any damage to property incurred during their strikes, so surely you can extend the principle to the loss of lives, the leadership of the union must charged.
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Aug 16, 2012

Mabenito

18 Dead In 3 Minutes? What e'hell is going on?
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Aug 16, 2012

musa.moses

This is barbaric, the person who gave the order should be held fully responsible! May their souls rest in peace.
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Aug 16, 2012

Solm

These miners want an increase from R4000 to R12500.I doubt this will happen.
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Aug 16, 2012

Fistos

People must stop depending on unions when it comes labour issues because all they do is to encourage their members to go out there and protest which leads to loss of life, damage to public property and loss of productivity.
Representatives should be able to negotiate for this people without using them as human shields.
If they ask or force you to toyi toyi then you must know that they do not have the ability to negotiate and should not be representing you.
Condoloenses to the family of the guys who lost their lives, but next time do not put your lifes at risk just to satisfy useless union guys.
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Aug 16, 2012

Sane1

Biting the hand that feeds them!They are a big embarrassement to their families - these miners. Are we still in the stone cave age?
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Aug 16, 2012

defacto69

Just watched the TV footage - Since when do the SAPS have the right to use their weapons on FULL AUTO - Untrained IDIOTS !!!
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Aug 16, 2012

TheTrueWord

SA is burning all over. Unfortunately no one is taking any responsibility.

Quote from Chinua Achebe: "Things fall apart".

And these seem to be just prelims.
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Aug 16, 2012

defacto69

This is REVENGE by SAPS - So many are dead because the Police used full auto weapons - This illegal in Civilian Crowd Control. SAPS Officers responsible must face Murder charges.

It is wonderful that it was caught on camera and the whole of SA saw it.Lets see them try and deny their disgusting illegal actions.
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Aug 16, 2012

Nyongoyamavenda

but Soweta has become a shadow of itself,Mkhabela has failed this newspaper you now have to go to other sources to find the real story i can do better than sowetan jounalist

Here is whta happen from mail & guardian
The strikers were wielding pangas and chanting war songs. Police fired teargas and then used a water cannon to disperse the strikers, who retaliated by firing live ammunition at the police.
Ten people, including two policemen, have died in nearly a week of fighting between rival worker factions at the mine, the latest platinum plant to be hit by fallout from an eight-month union turf war in the world's main producer of the precious metal
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