A security guard was killed during an illegal strike over wages at Petmin’s Somkhele mine near Mtubatuba, the Witness reported on Wednesday.
Police spokesman Captain Jabulani Mdletshe said the security guard was hacked to death on Monday night during a 30-minute power outage.
Mdletshe said two guards were on duty: One was inside a hut at one of the mine gates and the other was outside the hut when they were attacked.
The guard who survived told the Witness five men carrying bush knives accosted him and asked him why he was working during a strike.
He said he took out a pocket knife and threatened the men.
“I then saw a gap and ran as fast as I could and hid in the bushes not too far from the gate,” he was quoted as saying.
BP Nxumalo, who was inside the hut, was killed despite having a shotgun.
Police believe the attackers took Nxumalo’s gun after killing him.
The strike at Somkhele started last week and the first violence was reported on Monday night.
The workers wanted a take-home salary of R10,000 and R15,000 a month. They currently earned between R4,000 to R6,000.
According to a statement on the company’s website, about 345 workers employed by Sandton Plant Hire, the opencast contractor at Petmin’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd, the operator of Somkhele, were on an unprotected strike. A court interdict had been obtained, declaring the strike unlawful.
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Comments
Mdeeva
This miners are getting out of hand, what hooligans, what did a poor soul do? they burn people in rusty ag sies they must go to hell.We share their frustration but killing?Report Abuse
Punkies
And we blame police for firing live ammunition on them.Report Abuse
cornelius
WTF ?? These murd.ering scum must be brought to book. If this is not a wake up call to the unions that they must start acting responsibly and tone down the militancy of labour actions, nothing will wake them up.Cry the beloved country. Maybe not so beloved anymore.
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MissBhakajuju
F... these miners now. who gave them a licence 2 k.i.l.l...... blaady Grade 1 Drop outs.... who the hek do they think they are ??Report Abuse
!!Sinudeity!!
South Africa, youths are begging for work. Employed workers dont want to work, will murder you if you dare work.Line em up boys.
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Lehido
Please can I hear Julius Malema say something...This is all his doingReport Abuse
Mawiki
This is f*@*%g out of hand! BS!!!!!!what do these grade 1 drop-outs (some don't know where the school gates are) say to the family of the murdered security guy who wouldn't even influence the pay hikes? It's sad.... What has Mzansi become? Human life is no longer respected. F*%k them!!!!! Are we supposed to symphathize with these morons? Nee, wat!!!!!Report Abuse
Mellow
Why attack your fellow brothers with pangas now? Why killing each other? Eish its sad just sadReport Abuse
Mawiki
On principle, I believe that they deserve pay improvements, but my sympathy for these thugs has long dissipated. They are just plain stupid......Report Abuse
pla-SENT-a
BP Nxumalo, who was inside the hut, was killed despite having a shotgun.If you shoot them trying to defend urself, u r to be critisised. SAPS must be given more rights than those of these "bstrds" criminals. Why do we have to suffer like this. We never had this sorts of things previously. Come on guys, come on miners
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