South African police arrest 40 workers

Apartheid Poster

South African police have arrested 40 striking workers who had seized a mine equipment at Kumba Iron Ore mine.

"At about three o'clock (0100 GMT) this morning, we entered the mine premises where the illegal strikers were keeping the mine equipment in their possession. We managed to arrest about 40 of them," Lieutenant Colonel Hendrik Swart, police spokespman said.

On Monday October 15, Kumba fired nearly 300 workers, including the 40 arrested, following a strike they launched nearly two weeks ago at its Sishen mine in Northern Cape Province.

"The illegal occupation of the company's Sishen mine has been brought to an end by the police who removed the strikers in the early hours of the morning," the company said in a statement.

Police regained the mine equipment that the striking workers had seized since the start of the strike on 3 October.

The miners demanded an increase in their payment and threatened to destroy the equipment if their demand was not met.

Tens of thousands working in South Africa's mines --mostly located near the commercial hub of Johannesburg-- have been on strike for more than a month.

The strikes have paralyzed production in the country, which accounts for around seven percent of global mine products.

In August, clashes between striking miners and police left 46 miners dead at Lonmin platinum mine in the South African North West Province.

The strikes have damaged South Africa's reputation as an investment destination.