South African cabinet members to help mine shooting families

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - A team of South African government ministers will visit the Marikana mine on Monday to help relatives of 34 striking workers shot dead by police, the presidency said.

President Jacob Zuma has tasked 10 ministers and the province's premier with assisting the bereaved at the North West province platinum mine, where police killed 34 people Thursday and 44 have died in all in a deadly escalation of violence stemming from a rivalry between two unions.

"The committee will visit Marikana tomorrow. They will coordinate and lead all support to families and relatives including the identification of family members, counselling and burials," his office said in a statement.

The key ministers of police and mining will be among the delegation, to be headed by a minister in the presidency.

Relatives on Sunday were checking a list of the dead and injured posted at the mine's hospital.

The mine's owner Lonmin, the world's number three platinum producer, has said it will help with burials and education for the children of affected families.

Zuma also announced a week of national mourning from Monday and has said a judicial commission of inquiry will investigate the incident.