Detained miners charged with murder

JOHANNESBURG - The 270 miners arrested during a protest at a platinum mine were charged with murdering their colleagues, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Thursday.

The miners were arrested earlier this month after police shot dead 34 miners in clashes with striking miners following the deaths of 10 people, including two police officers, in violence sparked by rivalry between factional unions vying for dominance among mine workers at the Lonmin Platinum Mine in Marikana, North West Province.

"The State has placed murder charges against all of them. Finer details around the charges will emerge in court when their bail application starts next week," NPA North West spokesman Frank Lesenyego said.

Besides murder charges, the miners were also charged with attempted murder and public violence, he said.

"The court today charged all the workers with murder, under the common purpose law," Lesenyego added, without giving details.

On Thursday, 264 of the miners made their appearance in the Ga- Rankuwa Magistrate's Court north of Pretoria. The other six, who were injured in the violence, were still in hospital.

Police blamed striking miners for inciting violence leading up to the police shooting. A video footage showed the miners opened fire first, prompting police to retaliate in self-defense.

But the excessive use of force by police has drawn public criticism.