Johannesburg - The situation at the Lonmin's Marikana mine
in the North West was stable on Tuesday morning following the deaths of nine
people, police said.
Captain Dennis Adriao said police had been monitoring the
situation at the mine where violence had erupted from Friday.
"At this stage no other incidents were reported
throughout Monday night."
Nine people - two police officers, two security guards,
three protesters and two other men - had been killed by 8.30pm on Monday.
The deaths were linked to violence apparently triggered by
union rivalry.
Adriao said the two police officers were killed on Monday
afternoon and three protesters were shot dead.
One other police officer was critically injured, he said.
About 3 000 Lonmin [JSE:LON] rock drill operators started an illegal
work stoppage and protest march on Friday.
Earlier, officials from the platinum mine announced that the
body of a man was found on the premises. He had been shot dead.
Adriao said the man's death was believed to be linked to the
violence.
Another man died in hospital on Sunday after being hacked
with a panga as he left the mine after the evening shift.
On Saturday, two security guards were killed when the car
they were travelling in was set alight.
Scores of other people have been injured in the violent
unrest in the last four days. Police also reported that eight vehicles were
torched on the mine property on Sunday.
Violence at the Lonmin Marikana mine has been linked to
clashes between members of the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and the
Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), which are reportedly
fighting for control of local mines.
Lonmin has called for an end to the violence.
"Whilst our first thoughts must be with the families of
those killed and injured in these criminal clashes, our operational priority is
to see the violence stop," says Lonmin CEO, Ian Farmer.
Num has condemned the violence and has called for immediate
action from the police.
"(We are) alarmed at that the escalating violence has
been allowed to continue unabated by the law enforcement agencies in that area
in North West Province," said Num general secretary Frans Baleni.
"We call for the deployment of a special task force or
the SANDF to deal decisively with the criminal elements in Rustenburg and its
surrounding mine."
Baleni dismissed statements that it was a rivalry attack and
said the Num was a victim of Amcu. By Monday afternoon, police had made no
arrests.
In February, the two unions also clashed over membership at Impala Platinum's mines in Rustenburg.