“The police, in order to protect their own lives and in self-defence, were forced to engage the group with force.”
This had followed extensive and unsuccessful negotiations by police to disarm and disperse a heavily armed group of illegal gathers at a hilltop near the mine.
“We’ve accommodated them for four days, 10 people are now dead; property has been damaged and burnt. We now have to use force,” he said.

Until Thursday afternoon, the death toll had stood at 10 – two police officers, two security guards, three striking miners and three bystanders since the illegal strike began on Friday.

Those on the hilltop had vowed not to leave until their salaries had been upped from R5 000 to R12 500.

Attempts by police and union representatives to negotiate a truce with the strikers, who were armed with home-made weapons including axes, sharpened steel rods, pangas and knobkerries, had failed.

Sawa.nimevuka sakafu..but not coz of bba,me i've since moved on..those miners had pushed it.