Public urged to assist police into death of miner

Platinum nuggets... the strike has cost billions. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

The Premier also condemned in the strongest terms possible the alleged assault of two miners.

"We are concerned that the death might be related to acts of violence and continued intimidation of non-striking mineworkers and call on police not to leave any stone unturned," Premier Mahumapelo said.

According to police, the body of the man, alleged to be a mineworker, was found hanging on the tree in Leeukloof, not far from Hartbeeshoek Road in Broederstroom between Hartbeespoort Dam and Krugersdorp on Tuesday.

Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said that a schoolgirl, who was on her way to school, noticed the body of the man, who was dressed in clothes similar to those used by mineworkers, and alerted her mother.

A Volkswagen Golf apparently belonging to the deceased was found on the roadside. It had crashed into a tree.

"How the victim ended up being hanged in the tree is what police are investigating as a registered inquest," Ngubane said.

The two mineworkers were allegedly beaten up near Impala's UG2 shaft in Freedom Park near Rustenburg on Tuesday morning while on their way to work.

According to police, one of the men apparently worked at an engineering construction at Bafokeng Rasimone Mine and the other at UG2 shaft at Impala.

"The victims aged 33 and 37 sustained multiple stab wounds on the body and feet. No one has been arrested at this stage, as the police investigation continues," Brigadier Ngubane said.

Premier Mahumapelo remains optimistic that mediation by Labour Judge Hillary Rabkin-Naicker will assist to break the wage dispute deadlock and bring to an end the four-month-old strike.