They were looking for their loved ones after more than 30 miners were shot dead in a confrontation with the police.

"I wish they would release a statement or a list that has all the deceased's names, or tell them which hospitals their relatives are in, because we are going from pillar to post," said Gcobani Tiya.

He had driven all the way to Rustenburg from Bethal because he had not been able to get any information, he said.

He complained that the mine and the police appeared to be giving information to the media, but not to families.

A hospital official said some of the people who were wounded in the shooting on Thursday had been sent to hospitals in Johannesburg, central Rustenburg and Pretoria.

She said she was not allowed to speak to the media and asked not to be named.

National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega was expected to brief the media later on Friday.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said over 30 people died in the shooting. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has said 36 people were killed.

The people who died were among a group of protesters from Lonmin's Marikana mine, who went on strike last Friday.

Another 10 people, including police officers and security guards, have died in separate incidents since unrest at the mine began last Friday.

The protests are believed to be related to union rivalry between the NUM and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union. The striking workers have also demanded higher wages.