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File photo of the Marikana protesters

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The man found dead near a group of strikers not far from Lonmin’s Marikana mine earlier this week was 51-year-old rock drill operator and NUM shop steward Dumisani Mthinti, police said on Thursday.

Brigadier Thulani Ngubane, who provided his name, said he was from the Eastern Cape.

“He had two open wounds at the back of his head that showed he was hacked with a sharp object.” 

His body was found on Tuesday, as the strike at the platinum mine entered its second month.

Ngubane said no arrests had yet been made and investigations were still under way into the death.

National Union of Mineworkers spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said Mthinti was an NUM shop steward.

On Tuesday, Ngubane said his body was found about 300m away from where the miners usually met, on the western side of a hill near the mine.

On Wednesday, the SA Council of Churches (SACC) said the workers on strike at Lonmin were not violent.

“As a leader myself, I am convinced that they are not violent,” SACC president Bishop Jo Seoka told reporters in Marikana, in North West.

Asked about the body, Seoka said Mthinti might have been killed elsewhere.

“There is no evidence that workers have murdered anyone, because they don’t know what happened. We appealed to workers’ delegation[s] to tell workers not to carry dangerous weapons.” 

Workers were expected to meet mine management, the unions, traditional leaders and the SACC on Thursday to discuss their demand for a monthly salary of R12,500.

Mthinti was the 45th person killed in events associated with the strike since August 10. Ten people, including police and security guards, died in the week before police opened fire on protesters, killing 34 of them on August 16.

Comments

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Mon May 20 09:15:35 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 13, 2012

warry

Barack Obama send us some drones to wipe out some asshole. Soon they will join al qaeda. They are already al qaeda they take away your american interests, lol
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Sep 13, 2012

Stimela

good, i so wish it was frans Baleni himself. nxa
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Sep 13, 2012

AMO

May his soul rest in peace and condolences to d family
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Sep 13, 2012

lindsay

@sowetan and other newspapers

this story of marikana as s holes is boring please write about something else really its reading about Malema everyday B OOOO RRRR IIII NNN GGG
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Sep 13, 2012

BlackSeed

So media is trying so hard to disgrace and trash these miners so the blame can be put on their heads?

Well guess what, you can do that with Political Parties like the ANC but forget those silly tactics on people because they can see.

You cannot fool the people all the time

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Sep 13, 2012

lindsay

this story of marikana as s holes is boring please write about something else really its like reading about Malema everyday B OOOO RRRR IIII NNN GGG
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Sep 13, 2012

Siphe15

Seoka said Mthinti might have been killed elsewhere.
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This is insane when two unions are fighting each other, you must be out of your mind to tell the nation such lies. And the poor man has been hacked with a sharp object, rest in peace Dumi Mthinti mfowethu!
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Sep 13, 2012

MarriedMan

Seoka said Mthinti might have been killed elsewhere.
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Its easy to say such things when its not your family, if it was yours you were gonna find it ridiculous when somebody else made it. Now we are suppose to take the death of this family man lighty because it's only one person and not 34 and also not shot by police. Its ok when miners kill but not ok when they are killed. So that is what they want to be exact.
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Sep 13, 2012

topdog009

RIP Dumi Mthinti..............So up till this far, nobody sees deeper into this frenzie and exarggerated bull stunts, coverage? Iyooo hayi masibuyeleni eskolweni or anyone who can pls educate us....raise up your hand. Classroom time manje is needed. Deepest apologies and sincere sadness to the Mthinti fam.
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Sep 13, 2012

bearpup

Nobody needs to die anymore. These sick politicians taking advantage of their plight are the anti christ! There is a war in this country and unfortunately war does not discriminate. We will all be victims if something is not done now!
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