Shots fired at Marikana meeting

The mining community looks on as they are addressed by their leaders during a strike at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine in Rustenburg, 100 km (62 miles) northwest of Johannesburg, May 14, 2013. South African workers of world No. 3 platinum producer Lonmin launched a wildcat strike on Tuesday, halting all of the company's mine operations and reigniting fears of deadly unrest that rocked the industry last year. The platinum belt towns of Rustenburg and Marikana, which saw violent strikes at Lonmin and other platinum producers last year, are a flashpoint of labour strife with tensions running high over looming job cuts and wage talks.

The mining community looks on as they are addressed by their leaders during a strike at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine in Rustenburg, 100 km (62 miles) northwest of Johannesburg, May 14, 2013. South African workers of world No. 3 platinum producer Lonmin launched a wildcat strike on Tuesday, halting all of the company's mine operations and reigniting fears of deadly unrest that rocked the industry last year. The platinum belt towns of Rustenburg and Marikana, which saw violent strikes at Lonmin and other platinum producers last year, are a flashpoint of labour strife with tensions running high over looming job cuts and wage talks.

Published May 15, 2013

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Marikana - Shots were fired inside the Wonderkop Stadium, in Marikana, on Wednesday, while striking miners were gathering for a meeting.

It was not clear who fired the shots and whether anyone was wounded. Six gunshots were heard while workers were filing into the stadium.

Dressed in green, union T-shirts and carrying knobkerries and sticks, the strikers sang as they entered the stadium.

It was expected that Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union president Joseph Mathunjwa would ask them to end their strike at Lonmin's platinum mines in North West.

Workers downed tools on Tuesday, demanding the immediate closure of the National Union of Mineworkers' offices at Lonmin. - Sapa

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