Lonmin Striking Miners

Almost three years after South African police shot 34 striking miners dead outside platinum producer Lonmin's Marikana mine, little has changed in this hardscrabble town that has become a symbol of post-apartheid hardship and inequities.

Top platinum producers could afford wage hikes demanded by striking miners in South Africa if their shareholders took a cut in dividends, a study said Friday, as the country's longest-ever strike rumbled on.

After a round of fresh talks yesterday, a negotiator had announced in the afternoon that the workers had settled for a 22 per cent wage rise and a USD 245 one-off bonus from the owners of the world's third largest platinum mine.

South Africa's Defence Minister apologised on Tuesday to angry miners who held up plastic packets of bullet casings, the first government official to beg forgiveness for the police shootings that killed 34 striking miners, wounded another 78 and shocked the nation. It was the most deadly display of state violence since apartheid ended in 1994.

South African President Jacob Zuma has declared a week of national mourning from today following the death of 44 striking miners at the Lonmin platinum mine in North West Province last week. Zuma earlier announced a judicial commission of inquiry into the incident in which 36 of the dead were shot by police, allegedly in self-defence.

Miners must return to work on Monday or face being fired from the platinum mine where rivalry between unions exploded into violence that led to the deaths of 44 people in a week, Lonmin PLC said on Sunday. 34 strikers were gunned down by police in one of the worst displays of state violence since apartheid ended in 1994.

The police killing of 34 striking platinum miners in the bloodiest security operation since the end of white rule cut to the quick of South Africa's psyche on Friday, with searching questions asked of its post-apartheid soul.

Almost three years after South African police shot 34 striking miners dead outside platinum producer Lonmin's Marikana mine, little has changed in this hardscrabble town that has become a symbol of post-apartheid hardship and inequities.

Top platinum producers could afford wage hikes demanded by striking miners in South Africa if their shareholders took a cut in dividends, a study said Friday, as the country's longest-ever strike rumbled on.

After a round of fresh talks yesterday, a negotiator had announced in the afternoon that the workers had settled for a 22 per cent wage rise and a USD 245 one-off bonus from the owners of the world's third largest platinum mine.

South Africa's Defence Minister apologised on Tuesday to angry miners who held up plastic packets of bullet casings, the first government official to beg forgiveness for the police shootings that killed 34 striking miners, wounded another 78 and shocked the nation. It was the most deadly display of state violence since apartheid ended in 1994.

South African President Jacob Zuma has declared a week of national mourning from today following the death of 44 striking miners at the Lonmin platinum mine in North West Province last week. Zuma earlier announced a judicial commission of inquiry into the incident in which 36 of the dead were shot by police, allegedly in self-defence.

Miners must return to work on Monday or face being fired from the platinum mine where rivalry between unions exploded into violence that led to the deaths of 44 people in a week, Lonmin PLC said on Sunday. 34 strikers were gunned down by police in one of the worst displays of state violence since apartheid ended in 1994.

The police killing of 34 striking platinum miners in the bloodiest security operation since the end of white rule cut to the quick of South Africa's psyche on Friday, with searching questions asked of its post-apartheid soul.