of the police shootings, 34 miners died and an additional 78 miners were injured causing anger and outcry against the police and South African government. Further controversy emerged after it was discovered that most of the victims were shot in the back and many victims were shot far from police lines. The violence on 16 August 2012 was the single most lethal use of force by South African security forces against civilians since the end of the apartheid era. During the Marikana Commission, it also emerged that Lonmin management solicited Lonmin shareholder and ANC heavyweight, Cyril Ramaphosa, to coordinate "concomitant action" against "criminal" protesters and is seen by many as therefore being responsible for the massacre. Submissions by the South African Police Service accused Lonmin of being responsible for the violence because of their failure to negotiate with striking miners. 2014 South African platinum strike In late January 2014 thousands of employees belonging to Lonmin went on strike, demanding a basic salary of R12,500 ($1,180). This amount excludes so-called "living out allowances", for staff who choose not to stay in mine housing on the mine property. This is the same salary for which striking miners were shot and killed by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in 2012. Most of the miners belonged to the miners' union 'AMCU' which South African politician and Commander in Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters had vowed to sponsor in order to allow the miners to continue striking. The platinum miners were mainly based in Marikana, the town in which Julius Malema jump-started his political party and gained popularity with most of the miners. The strike, the longest in the history of South Africa, ended in late June 2014 when the mineworkers union signed a 3-year settlement deal with the mine owners which saw the lowest paid workers, whose basic salary was less than R12,500, increased by R1,000 ($95) a month for two years, and by R950 per month in the third year. The agreement also ensured no platinum worker would earn less than R8,000 as a basic salary. Controversy In October 2017, Mining Forum of South Africa (MFSA) and Bapo ba Mogale Investments (BBMI) have pleaded President Jacob Zuma to suspend Lonmin's operating licence over non-compliance with its social and labour plan (SLP) for the years 2014 to 2018. See also Lonrho References External links Official site "Tiny Rowland dies at 80." BBC.