JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- South African President Jacob Zuma on Friday evening issued an order to probe the platinum mine shootout which have left 34 people dead and over 78 injured.
"I have decided to institute a commission of inquiry, enabling us to get to the real cause of the incident, and to derive the necessary lessons," the president said as he visited the conflict- hit Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine in the northern province of the North West.
The shootout erupted at 4 p.m local time on Thursday as several hundred police attempted to disperse several thousand striking miners at the Marikana mine.
Several thousand miners had gathered on a hill in the area since Monday, demanding the improvement of their working condition by raising their monthly salary from current about 4,000 rands (about 480 U.S. dollars) to 12,500 rands.
Lonmin is the world's third biggest platinum producer with approximately 28,000 employees, and its operational headquarters is in Johannesburg, South Africa.
It is believed as one of the deadliest conflict between police and protestors since the apartheid ended in South Africa in 1994.
The president said it was a day to mourn together as a nation and to start rebuilding and healing.
"We have all been saddened and dismayed by the events of the past few days and hours around the Marikana mine," he said. "The loss of life among workers and members of our police service is tragic and regrettable," he said.
"As government, we offer our sincere condolences to all families who have lost their loved ones," he said.
Zuma stressed the calm should be restored at the mine. "We will continue working tirelessly, to build a united, non-racial and prosperous South Africa," he said.
Last Friday, about 3,000 drilling miners at the mine started protests, demanding an increase in their wage. However, the protests turned into violence in the following days.
JOHANNESBURG, Aug.17 (Xinhua) -- The South African police on Friday confirmed 34 people were dead and more than 78 others injured at a mine shooting in the northern South Africa on Thursday afternoon.
"The death toll of the protesters at a shooting on a hilltop at the Marikana platinum mine currently stands at 34 with over 78 injured,"National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega said. Full story
JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega said on Friday that police were forced to use maximum force to defend themselves in clashes with striking miners in which 34 miners were killed.
She said a militant group attacked police deployed to monitor the situation with dangerous weapons, including guns, forcing the police to retaliate. Full story
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