On Friday, striking workers at South African platinum mine Marikana rejected a pay offer from the company. The workers have been on strike for five weeks, and said that they are not interested in anything lower than their demand of a $1,500 a month increase in pay. While elected officials have called on the police to enforce order, the shootings of 34 miners in August has made it difficult for police. The shooting and the strike have spread unrest across South Africa's mining sector, with other miners beginning strikes.
See "Striking South African miners reject Lonmin pay offer", Mish Molakeng, Reuters, September 13, 2012