South African police fired stun grenades to disperse striking miners, acting hours after president Jacob Zuma’s government vowed to halt illegal protests and disarm demonstrators.

South African police fired stun grenades to disperse striking miners, acting hours after president Jacob Zuma’s government vowed to halt illegal protests and disarm demonstrators.

South Africa’s justice minister has threatened to use more force against striking miners as they rejected a new wage offer.

Striking South African platinum miners stayed off the job yesterday and marched to press wage demands at major producer Lonmin as 15,000 workers at the world’s fourth biggest bullion producer, Gold Fields, also downed tools.

Industrial action has spread in South Africa with a wildcat strike by 15,000 gold miners, while few workers reported for duty at in the fourth week of a stoppage at a platinum mine.

Four people have been seriously injured in a shooting involving mine workers in South Africa.

Grieving South African families were mourning today at memorial services for 34 striking miners killed by police, as a nation in shock asked who gave the orders and who must be blamed.

A quarter of the workforce returned to the Marikana platinum mine yesterday where 44 men were killed last week in clashes that evoked memories of apartheid-era violence.

The President of South Africa has ordered an inquiry into the deaths of 34 miners who were shot dead by police on Thursday.

More than 30 people have been killed after South Africa’s police officers opened fire on striking workers at a Lonmin PLC mine.

Uncertainty ahead of a key week for economic data meant the FTSE 100 Index stuck close to its opening mark today.