MARIKANA - Scores of striking miners have dispersed, after police blockaded a major road to prevent them from marching to the Rustenburg Police Station in the North West.
More than 200 people marched from Khuseleka township to the police station on Sunday, to voice their outrage at “police brutality”.
But police blocked road, to prevent them from making their way to the station, saying the march was an illegal one.
Strike leader Evans Ramokga said they would now apply for permission to protest.
Police arrested 14 Marikana residents on Saturday, who formed part of two illegal gatherings.
Officers had earlier fired rubber bullets to disperse the groups.
Marchers say the recent police clampdown in the mining town is unnecessary.
They have appealed to police deployed to Rustenburg and surrounding areas to not use violence when confronting striking workers.
The police crackdown comes after cabinet ministers announced on Friday that violence and intimidation by striking miners would no longer be tolerated by security personnel.
The ministers said all dangerous weapons would be confiscated and threatened to arrest anyone who attended illegal gatherings.
Ramokga said workers from various mines in the Rustenburg platinum belt will not return to work until wage disputes at Lonmin and Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) mines were resolved.
About 3, 000 mineworkers from Lonmin in Marikana and 6, 000 from Amplats in Rustenburg are striking for wage increases.
They have demanded to be paid R12, 500 monthly.
The five-week Lonmin strike has so far claimed a total of 45 lives, 34 at the hands of police during a shootout on 16 August.
(Edited by Thato Motaung)