Mourning for miners; deadline to return

South Africa was in national mourning Monday for 34 miners gunned down by police, while the mine owner warned to strikers to return to work or face being fired. President Jacob Zuma declared a weeklong mourning period, saying: "The nation is in shock and in pain. We must this week reflect on the sanctity of human life and the right to life as enshrined in the constitution." Zuma has been criticized for his handling of the situation, including by expelled African National Congress Youth League President Julius Malema, who called for him to step down in the wake of the labor strife and violence at the Marikana mine near Rustenburg, about 60 miles northwest of Johannesburg. Rustenburg was a host city of the 2010 FIFA World Cup men's soccer tournament. Zuma "presided over a massacre," Malema told thousands of angry miners Saturday, and called on all South African miners to go on strike in solidarity with those gunned down by the police Thursday. Malema is campaigning against a second term for Zuma ahead of the ANC's congress in December. Ten other people, including two police officers, were shot dead earlier in the week as some non-striking miners tried to go back to work. Zuma also announced Sunday the appointment of an inter-ministerial committee to investigate Thursday's shooting, when police fired live ammunition on machete-wielding, striking mine workers. Institute for Democracy in Africa Executive Director Paul Graham told the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph: "It is very disappointing that those appointed to the commission of inquiry include Cabinet ministers. They cannot be independent and will not be trusted." Detectives from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, whose purpose is "to ensure independent oversight over the South African Police Service," said they recovered 45 guns from the massacre site and said 300 bullets were fired in 60 seconds. Investigators said they had 180 witnesses to the deadly episode. Mine owner Lonmin PLC, the world's third-largest platinum producer, said an ultimatum it originally set for Friday would now be in effect for Monday -- that any worker who did not return to work by midnight faced being fired. "The final ultimatum provides RDOs [rock drill operators] with a last opportunity to return to work or face possible dismissal," the London company, whose only operating asset is the mine, said in a statement. "Employees could therefore be dismissed if they fail to heed the final ultimatum," it said. Lonmin management defended the ultimatum, denying the company was being smug and callous. "We have not been arrogant," acting Chief Executive Officer Simon Scott told the Telegraph. "We have to rebuild the Lonmin brand, rebuild the platinum brand and brand South Africa." The company added it was monitoring the situation with police and would extend the ultimatum date on their advice. "The safety and security of our employees is paramount and nobody will be asked to report for duty if the police consider them in danger of reprisals," Scott said. Miner Zachariah Mbewu told Johannesburg's Mail & Guardian: "Expecting us to go back is like an insult. Many of our friends and colleagues are dead, then they expect us to resume work. Never." Underground supervisor Fezile Magxaba said the strikers would return to work only after management leaders "listen to our demands of salary increases. People have died, we are angry. If we return, it will be like they died in vain." About 3,000 rock drillers have been on a wildcat strike since Aug. 10, demanding their wages double as part of a battle between two unions seeking to represent them.