Amplats security shoot five miners in South Africa

South African platinum mine security guards shot five miners with rubber bullets as they resisted an attempt by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) to re-establish itself at the Amplats Siphumelele mine in Rustenberg.

The union’s membership dropped catastrophically during last year’s unofficial strike wave. Many left and joined the more militant AMCU union, which is now the majority union in the mine.

About 1,000 workers joined a protest as NUM officials tried to regain control of the mine’s union offices from the AMCU, supported by Amplats security guards. A total of 13 people were injured.