Miners in South Africa are returning to work at the Marikana platinum complex, which was the scene of violent protests in which 46 people died.Striking miners reached an agreement with owners Lonmin on Tuesday. It will see their salaries rise by up to 22%.Lonmin is hoping to recover some of the big losses it incurred during the six-week stoppage.An investigation is under way into the deaths of the miners, 34 of whom were shot by police.The strikes have spread to other mines in South Africa, one of the world’s biggest producers of precious metals.Miners were to receive a pay increase of between 11% and 22% depending on worker category - higher than the 5% inflation rate but far less than they had been demanding.“We’re happy to go to work. We got what we wanted,” Yandisa Mehlo told the AFP news agency.But another one, Phumlile Macefane, said: “I return to work because I’m so hungry. “I’m unhappy because I can’t get 12,500 [rand]. My brothers are dead, were killed by the police.”Spreading strikes On Monday, President Jacob Zuma said the disruption had cost the industry $548m (£337m) in lost output.On Wednesday, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse protesters near a mine owned by Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), the world’s largest platinum producer, raising fears that the Marikana pay deal could encourage other miners to go on unofficial strikes.
