Rustenburg -
Violence erupted at Anglo American Platinum when striking miners set a power sub-station on fire this morning.
The sub-station at Khuseleka Mine in Rustenburg was set alight at about 4am, according to national police spokesman Captain Dennis Adriao, who said no one had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Local residents, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals, said the violence erupted in the early hours of the morning.
These residents said more violence occurred on Friday last week when several miners allegedly looted big wholesale shops and a restaurant situated near the mine.
“The mineworkers stormed into the shops and [looted] various items. They vandalised all the properties situated near the mines. Electrical equipment was just dropped on the ground before these miners fled with the goods,” one of the residents said.
The sources said the residents, particularly women, were now leaving in fear after mine workers allegedly went around the area and urged women to join them in their fight for a better wage in the mining sector.
“The situation is bad here. The mine workers moved around our area using a loudhailer and urging women to join them tomorrow in their strike. They were armed. Police did nothing. They just watched as these miners barricaded the roads with stones and set things on fire. We cannot go and buy anything because most of the businesses are destroyed,” another source said.
According to residents, mineworkers had a meeting at 7pm last night where they are believed to have decided to take violent action.
The residents claimed that these miners were also armed with explosives.
“We were hearing explosions repeatedly this morning. We do not know what kind of bombs they were. It might be petrol bombs or any other explosives,” said one of the sources.
Adriao said it was difficult to determine whether the striking miners were responsible for the sub-station fire.
He said other incidents of violence had been reported in the area known as Ikaneng, not far from the sub-station that was set alight.
He said in the early hours of the morning, a group of about 1 000 people barricaded roads with rocks and several other objects and police had to use rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.
He said the gathering had been illegal. The situation was back to normal just after 6.30am.
“Everything is under control now, but our members will remain in the area and patrol,” he said.
The Star