Striking miners in street protest

More than 3,000 striking South African miners marched through streets near Lonmin's Marikana mine yesterday, the largest protest at the hot spot since police shot dead 34 of their colleagues last month.

Police armed with tear gas and assault rifles deployed armoured vehicles and helicopters to keep an eye on the protesters in the strongest show of force since the aftermath of the 16 August shooting. A man at the front of the marchers waved a placard reading, "We want 12,500 or nothing else", a reference to the demand for a hike in basic pay to 12,500 rand (£935) a month, more than double their current salary.