Church leaders, led by Central Methodist Church Bishop Paul Verryn, have intervened to avoid a clash between thousands of protesters and police at Lonmin in Marikana in North-West. The protesters are marching to Shaft 3 West of Marikana to ask management to close the Shaft.

An agreement to allow four delegates from rock drillers and four police officials have been allowed inside the Shaft to request management to heed their request. No violence has been reported thus far.

Earlier reports said another bloody clash between miners and police at Lonmin’s Kareespruit was imminent. The reports were triggered after striking rock drill operators ignored orders to disperse. The number of strikers carrying spears and axes was said to have increased from 1 000 to 2 000.

As police kept a watchful eye on the protesters, four Nyala vehicles as well as a water tanker were on stand-by. Peace negotiations aimed at ending violence in the mining area are expected to have resumed at Sun City.