LASTEST – UPDATE 08:40: South Africa police minister Nathi Mthethwa says ‘at least’ 30 miners killed when police opened fire at Lonmin Marikana platinum mine – Reuters.

Earlier posting – South African police have opened fire on a crowd of 3,000 striking miners at the Lonmin Marikana platinum mine 100 kilometers from Johannesburg. Media reports suggest that some 20 miners were killed.

Eye witnesses say that the well-armed police opened fired with automatic weapons continuously for two minutes after firing tear gas and water canons into the crowd. Some of the miners were armed with machetes and sticks.

The massacre is sadly reminiscent of brutal police tactics in pre-1994 apartheid-era South Africa.