Is this the start of a miner revolution?: gallery

Photograph by: SIPHIWE SIBEKO

A mineworker takes part in a march outside the Anglo American mine in South Africa's North West Province. Labour unrest sweeping through South Africa's mining sector hit top world platinum producer Anglo American Platinum, with stick-waving miners blockading roads leading to shafts and calling for a shut-down of operations.
Photograph by: ANTONIO MUCHAVE

Julius Malema. File photo.
Photograph by: Sydney Seshibedi

Mine workers march from shaft to shaft at Marikana's Lonmin mine, armed with sticks, Machetes, axes and many other weapons, to ensure that operations are completely halted while they are eligally on strike until their demand of R12, 500.00 pay per month.
Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema speaks to suspended soldiers in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, yesterday Picture: MOELETSI MABE
Photograph by: SIPHIWE SIBEKO

Mineworkers take part in a march outside the Anglo American mine in South Africa's North West Province. Labour unrest sweeping through South Africa's mining sector hit top world platinum producer Anglo American Platinum, with stick-waving miners blockading roads leading to shafts and calling for a shut-down of operations.
Photograph by: SIPHIWE SIBEKO

Mineworkers take part in a march outside the Anglo American mine in South Africa's North West Province, September 12, 2012. Labour unrest sweeping through South Africa's mining sector hit top world platinum producer Anglo American Platinum on Wednesday, with stick-waving miners blockading roads leading to shafts and calling for a shut-down of operations. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: BUSINESS CIVIL UNREST COMMODITIES EMPLOYMENT)
Photograph by: SIPHIWE SIBEKO

Mine workers take part in a march at Lonmin's Marikana mine in South Africa's North West Province. Around 10,000 striking South African platinum miners marched from one Lonmin mine shaft to another on Monday, threatening to kill strike breakers, as another illegal stoppage hit Gold Fields, the world's fourth biggest gold miner.Wage talks to end the month-long Lonmin strike, which erupted in deadly violence last month, failed to start as scheduled. The independent labour mediator said it could only take part in the process if workers returned to work by a Monday deadline, but the vast majority stayed away.
Photograph by: DANIEL BORN/ THE TIMES

A striking Marikana miner holds up a placard with his demands as thousands of miners listen to leadership address them at Lonmin's Mine near Rustenburg.
Photograph by: SIPHIWE SIBEKO

Mineworkers take part in a march outside the Anglo American mine in North West Province. Labour unrest sweeping through South Africa's mining sector hit top world platinum producer Anglo American Platinum, with stick-waving miners blockading roads leading to shafts and calling for a shut-down of operations.