Free State police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, confirms that just before 05:00 this morning, a group of Sibanye Gold Beatrix mineworkers was waiting for their transport in Bracken Street in the suburb of St Helena. The bus was meant to take them to the Gold Fields mine located outside the city. 

Makhele says it was at this time that a double cab bakkie stopped in front of the workers and three armed men got out and proceeded to shoot at the miners. Two people from the group – a man and a woman – were killed, two others were critically injured, and a fifth individual was assaulted in the ambush. The remaining workers scattered away from the scene.

It is unknown if the attack is in any way related to the strike by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) which began on November 21 over failed gold wage negotiations, or the murder of a 53-year-old Beatrix mineworker who was shot several times in the back amid the strike. AMCU is striking at all Sibanye's operations in South Africa to have the minimum wage of R12,500 increased.

UPDATE: The mine group’s spokesperson, James Wellsted, has confirmed that the people who died and were injured in the shooting were Beatrix Mine employees.

This is still a developing story.

OFM News