Migrant labour remained a fundamental aspect of the South African mining industry, which employed half a million, mostly black miners. Labour unrest in the industry resulted in a massacre which took place in mid-August 2012, during which; anti-riot police shot dead 34 striking miners and wounded many more in what is now known as the Marikana massacre.
Migrant labor was integral to South Africa's mining industry, employing over half a million workers, primarily black. Labor disputes in the sector resulted in a serious event that took place in mid-August 2012, where anti-riot police killed 34 striking miners and injured many more, known as the Marikana incident.