South African police halt new miner protest
- 12 years ago
Striking miners in South Africa march towards Rustenburg's police station on Sunday.
But the singing protesters are soon stopped by a line of police.
Security forces persuaded the miners from Anglo Platinum to disperse - citing their lack of a permit to hold a public demonstration.
The incident is the latest in five weeks of labour unrest that has choked off platinum production in the world's top producer of the precious metal.
Strike leaders say workers may have backed down this time, but they'll be standing their ground over wage demands.
Last month police shot 34 striking miners dead at the Marikana shaft mine - the bloodiest police action in South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994.
The so-called "Marikana Massacre" has poisoned industrial relations in the country, and drawn criticism that President Jacob Zuma and the ruling ANC have been too slow in dealing with the widening crisis.
But the singing protesters are soon stopped by a line of police.
Security forces persuaded the miners from Anglo Platinum to disperse - citing their lack of a permit to hold a public demonstration.
The incident is the latest in five weeks of labour unrest that has choked off platinum production in the world's top producer of the precious metal.
Strike leaders say workers may have backed down this time, but they'll be standing their ground over wage demands.
Last month police shot 34 striking miners dead at the Marikana shaft mine - the bloodiest police action in South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994.
The so-called "Marikana Massacre" has poisoned industrial relations in the country, and drawn criticism that President Jacob Zuma and the ruling ANC have been too slow in dealing with the widening crisis.