The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Thursday said guards and police at Gold One International's (GDO) Modder East mine have "randomly fired at the striking workers".
Strongly condemning the incident, the trade union said the workers were attending a meeting when mine guards shot live ammunition and injured one worker who is currently in critical condition in hospital.
NUM said police later arrived and also started shooting at workers.
The NUM said it has approached the local police station to report the matter and open a case against the culprits.
Saying it would "not be intimidated into submissiveness" by the mine or the police, the trade union vowed to intensify the strike action at Gold One from Friday.
The strike at Gold One is already in its fourth week as both sides dig their heels in over living out allowances.
Besides wanting a two-year wage agreement while the company wants to implement a three-year deal, the NUM has demanded that the company provide its workers with at least R900 as a living out allowance, which would enable them to rent some cheap accommodation.
"The workers, most of whom are migrant workers have no proper accommodation at the mine and have erected shacks around the mine," the trade union has said.
Most of these workers do not qualify for housing loans from the banks, nor do they qualify for government's low cost houses, the NUM has said.
"Gold One carefully considered the offer it tabled prior to the industrial action commencing and has consistently retained its position during the negotiations," the company said this week.
"Management believes that the three-year offer it has tabled is significant and is designed to ensure that all employees benefit from the expected profitability of the company as it improves in the coming years," it added.
The company said production at Modder East has continued since the industrial action began on March 23, with the company treating to date a total of 7 967 tons of ore at an average head grade of 5.64g/t.
For the 15 working days during this period of industrial action, gold production has amounted to about 43 kilograms.
The strike involves about 80 percent of the mine's 1 000 employees.
"Workers remain determined to strike until a resolution is found," the NUM said. - I-Net Bridge
