Man 'set on fire by strikers'

Police spokesman Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said another individual was "fighting for his life" after being shot - but it could not be confirmed who the victim was or whether he was shot by police or miners.

Strike leader Gaddafi Mdoda said there had been a "brief confrontation" between miners and police.

Over 12,000 miners walked off the job demanding a pay rise in what Amplats describes as an illegal strike. It responded by firing all the strikers last Friday, since when the miners have vowed to make its mines "ungovernable." Platinum production in the Rustenberg belt has all but ceased.

Reports suggested that police had intervened to prevent strikers from shutting down operations at Bathopele.

Amplats has said it will hire new workers to replace those on strike - but workers said this would only happen "over our dead bodies."

Labour unrest has spread across South Africa's mining sector since August when platinum miners belonging to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union at Marikana went on strike.

In September Marikana workers returned to work in return for a 22 per cent pay rise - prompting many more miners to walk out demanding similar increases.

Staff at goldmines belonging to AngloGold Ashanti and Gold Fields turned down wage offers today.

National Union of Miners spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said: "That was a final offer. They said take it or leave it - now that has been rejected our options are exhausted."