Platinum Mine Strike

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.

South Africa's radical AMCU union on Friday said that it had agreed in principle to a deal to end the country's longest-ever mining strike, a day after platinum producers announced the agreement.

Up to 4,000 mineworkers staged a sit-in strike at an Anglo American Platinum mine in South Africa's restive platinum belt on Friday over the suspension of four leaders, a union representative told AFP.

Up to 4,000 workers at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa which was the scene of deadly violence in August, returned to work on Friday after downing tools a day before, managers said.

As many as 4,000 workers at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa, which was the scene of deadly violence in August, have renewed a work stayaway on Thursday, owners Lonmin said, amid allegations of police harassment.

The world's biggest platinum producer, Anglo American Platinum, sacked 12,000 striking workers in South Africa on Friday, just hours after a miner was killed in clashes with police.

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 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.

South Africa's radical AMCU union on Friday said that it had agreed in principle to a deal to end the country's longest-ever mining strike, a day after platinum producers announced the agreement.

Up to 4,000 mineworkers staged a sit-in strike at an Anglo American Platinum mine in South Africa's restive platinum belt on Friday over the suspension of four leaders, a union representative told AFP.

Up to 4,000 workers at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa which was the scene of deadly violence in August, returned to work on Friday after downing tools a day before, managers said.

As many as 4,000 workers at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa, which was the scene of deadly violence in August, have renewed a work stayaway on Thursday, owners Lonmin said, amid allegations of police harassment.

The world's biggest platinum producer, Anglo American Platinum, sacked 12,000 striking workers in South Africa on Friday, just hours after a miner was killed in clashes with police.

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 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.