Rustenburg - Six more people have been arrested in connection with the recent spate of killings in platinum mines in Rustenburg in the North West - bringing the number of people arrested to nine - Police Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Sunday.
"Last night [Saturday] we have take down [the] brains behind the killings. We still have few to chase," he said.
Those arrested were three suspected masterminds behind the killings and the other six were believed to have been the gunmen.
Mbalula said those arrested were union leaders and "some politicians". They were arrested in the Eastern Cape and in Marikana near Rustenburg.
He denied that police were under pressure from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) to effect arrests. In October last year, Amcu leader Joseph Mathunjwa announced that the union had hired private investigator Paul O'Sullivan to probe the killings of union members in the platinum belt.
This came after several union members were killed in rapid succession in September last year. Amcu members killed in the North West platinum belt include Tholakele "Bhele" Dlunga, Mvelisi Biyela, Zingisa Mzendana, Mohahu Daniel Maseko, Mpeke Nonyana, and Mawethu Steven, among others.