Johannesburg - Thirteen Anglo Platinum (Amplats) mineworkers were arrested in the North West on Tuesday in connection with public violence, police said.
Captain Dennis Adriao said the men were charged after their confrontation with police during an illegal march to the Khuseleka shaft earlier in the day.
He said there had been no further incidents reported in the evening after a tense day which began when police and the fire brigade were called at 4am after a power sub-station at Amplats' Khuseleka shaft was set alight.
Police fired rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the mineworkers who failed to return to work. The strikers blocked roads and allegedly set fire to a power sub-station at the mine in Rustenburg.
The protesters were part of a group of about 12 000 mineworkers who had been sacked earlier in the month for taking part in an illegal strike.
The company said it would reinstate the mineworkers if they went back to work by 7am on Tuesday.
Many failed to clock in as they were being intimidated by the protesters.
Hours later, water cannons were used, and more teargas and rubber bullets were fired to drive away a fresh gathering of the workers.
Amplats spokesperson Mpumi Sithole would not comment and said the company would release a statement on Wednesday.
As well as reinstating its workers, Amplats had offered a once-off “hardship allowance” of R2 000, net of tax, to help employees affected by the no-work, no-pay principle.
Employees who did not participate in the illegal strike would be paid a once-off “loyalty allowance” of R2 000, net of tax.
Employees could also apply for a payment advance of up to R2 500 each, deductible from their salaries over a six-month period starting in January 2013. - Sapa