Anglo American about to make key decision on South African assets sale

Two weeks after South African police opened fire on a group of 3,000 workers and killed 34 people protesting at the platinum miner Lonmin's (LON:JSE) Marikana mine, prosecutors are bringing murder charges against a unexpected group of suspects: the miners themselves.

Managers, unions and workers at the troubled platinum miner Lonmin's (LON:JSE) Marikana mine, started talks with South African government mediators on Wednesday as thousands of miners continued a strike that has left 44 dead.

Al Jazeera tracked down some of the grieving family members of the miners who were killed in the Aug. 16 shootings that left 34 dead.

Troubled platinum miner Lonmin (LON:LMI) said that 57% of its workers turned up for work.

Only about a third of a 28,000-strong workforce reported for their shifts at Lonmin's Marikana platinum operations in South Africa. The London-based miner said workers who did not show up today would not face the sack – the deadline has been moved to tomorrow (Tuesday).

The Lonmin violence is "a strike by the poor against the state and the haves" says analyst.

The actual strike isn’t a deterrent to investors. But certainly the inability to get it under control will be of concern, particularly as this is now the third platinum mine that has seen conflict resulting in deaths this year.

The news follows the closure of Lonmin's Marikana mine in the NorthWest province of South Africa after clashes between rival unions and police left 44 dead.

More than just rivalry between unions, the platinum mine violence in South Africa has implications for the ruling ANC alliance.