South Africa begins crackdown on strikers

• Tweet

MARIKANA, South Africa, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- South African police collected spears and machetes in a pre-dawn raid on miners Saturday as the government increased pressure on them to end their strikes.

Several hours later, police lobbed stun grenades to disperse a gathering of hundreds of people in Marikana, the site of violence between strikers and police last month, CNN reported.

Some 500 police officers took part in the pre-dawn raid, said police spokesman Thulani Ngubane.

On Friday, government officials said they would no longer tolerate the miners' illegal strikes.

"Illegal gatherings, carrying of ... weapons, incitement, as well as threats of violence against anyone in the affected areas will be dealt with accordingly," the Government Communication and Information System said in a statement.

Miners striking for higher pay have caused many of the country's platinum mines, and some gold mines, to close.

Mine owners say negotiations with workers are deadlocked.