12,000 sacked as S.Africa mine strike turns deadly

RUSTENBURG (AFP) - The world's biggest platinum producer, Anglo American Platinum, sacked 12,000 striking workers in South Africa on Friday, just hours after one miner was killed in clashes with police.

Meanwhile a union leader in nearby Marikana was shot dead in the evening, his union said.

"A branch secretary of the union at Western Platinum was shot and killed at his house in Marikana this (Friday) evening," said National Union of Mineworkers spokesman Lesiba Seshoka in a statement.

Anglo American Platinum said the miners failed to appear before disciplinary hearings "and have therefore been dismissed in their absence".