Marikana, North West -
Four mineworkers were shot and wounded in Nkaneng near Marikana outside Rustenburg, North West police said on Saturday.
Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said two supporters of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) were shot allegedly by supporters of a rival union, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) on Friday night.
He said Amcu members had earlier marched at Karee mine on Friday, demanding a 12 percent salary increase.
“Later the night NUM employees were prevented from going to work. A shooting incident took place and two people were wounded.”
Ngubane said the Amcu aligned group gathered at Karee hostel on Saturday, and moved to Nkaneng were two more NUM members were shot and wounded.
He said the group of about 25,000 people gathered on Saturday afternoon, at the foot of a mountain close to Nkaneng. This sparked fears that there might be a confrontation between NUM and Amcu supporters.
Cases of attempted murder have been opened.
Amcu and NUM are fighting for the control of Rustenburg based mines.
In February there were incidents of violence at Impala Mines in Luka, where the two unions clashed over membership. - Sapa