Miners Shot In South Africa

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.

Striking miners killed one man by setting him on fire Thursday while another was shot and seriously wounded in rekindled labour unrest in South Africa that saw police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

Police and politicians say four miners have been shot and injured, apparently by security guards using rubber bullets at a gold mine owned by the South African president's nephew and a grandson of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.

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.

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.

Striking miners killed one man by setting him on fire Thursday while another was shot and seriously wounded in rekindled labour unrest in South Africa that saw police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

Police and politicians say four miners have been shot and injured, apparently by security guards using rubber bullets at a gold mine owned by the South African president's nephew and a grandson of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.

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.