Rubber bullets hit striking miners
2013-03-20 11:34
Mbombela - Two striking miners were injured when police
fired rubber bullets at the Graspan colliery on Wednesday, Mpumalanga police
said.
"They were taken to hospital but were not seriously
hurt. One was injured on the forearm," Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said.
Police were called when striking miners blockaded the mine's
entrance with road graders.
"Upon their arrival, protesters began fighting with
police and threatening them. They chased police with the graders," said
Mohlala.
Police fired rubber bullets to disperse them. Nine miners
were arrested for public violence. Police were unable to say how many miners
were involved in the strike, or what they were protesting about.
Mohlala dismissed a report by the SABC that seven people
were critically injured, and that live ammunition was used.
"The latest is that only two were injured. And we
definitely did not use live ammunition."
The mine could not immediately be reached for comment.
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