Police in the Free State are investigating the murder of 53-year-old mineworker who was shot several times in the back.
Spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele says police were called to the Beatrix mine in Theunissen on Thursday morning where workers were embarking on a protest.
He says the workers clashed with security guards at about 4 am in the morning before they were summoned to the scene.
Makhele says upon arrival they discovered the body of a worker with several gunshot wounds to the back. Police found 12 used 9mm cartridges near the body.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that another worker was shot and taken to a local hospital.
The mineworkers union Amcu said the victim was one of their members claiming that he was shot and stabbed multiple times.
Amcu embarked on a protected strike from midnight at all of Sibanye's operations in South Africa to press for a minimum wage increase of R12,500 with an increase of R1,000 for three years.
Sibanye currently employs approximately 32,200 people at its SA gold operations, with Amcu representing approximately 43% of employees in the bargaining unit.
- African News Agency (ANA)
