MARIKANA, South Africa - Heavily armed South African police patrolled Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine on Friday, where more than 30 striking miners were killed the previous day in a police crackdown that drew comparisons with apartheid-era brutality.
After more than 12 hours of official silence, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa confirmed that at least 30 people had died in the security operation at the mine, 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.
Police opened fire with automatic weapons when 3,000 striking drill operators armed with machetes and sticks ignored orders to disperse.
