Six S African miners killed in bus attack

Six miners were killed in South Africa's northern province of Limpopo when a suspected petrol bomb was thrown into their bus, police said today, adding no motive was known for the attack.

"The bus immediately caught fire, instantly killing six people on board and injuring several others," police said in a statement.

The bus was carrying night-shift workers to a platinum mine yesterday when it was attacked outside the town of Burgersfort.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) called for police to investigate and arrest those responsible, saying there had been a number of recent violent incidents in the area.

"The bus was carrying 39 workers who were going to work at Modikwa Platinum Mine when it was petrol-bombed," NUM official Phillip Mankge said.

"Six workers were burned beyond recognition and the other workers had to escape through windows.

"We also do not know what is the motive of the attack on those innocent workers who were going to work.