Memorials are taking place across South Africa to commemorate the 44 victims of violence since miners at one of the country's largest platinum mines began a pay rise strike on August 10.
Thirty-four miners were killed by police who opened fire on them at a Lonmin-operated platinum mine in Marikana in the country's northwest province in what analysts have described as the deadliest day of protests since apartheid.
Ten other people, including two policemen, were also killed. Police said they opened fire in self-defence.
Reporting on Thursday from Marikana, at the site of the shooting, Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa said the mood was tense.
The miners and the mining community have told the African National Congress (ANC)-led government, which had planned to hold an official memorial service on Thursday at the scene of the shootings, that they would not be dictated to, said Mutasa.
Political battle
Mutasa said the incident was becoming a political battle with public criticism growing against the government's dealing of the incident.
Well attended by mourners and by families of the deceased, expelled ANC youth league leader, Julius Malema and his former party, held its own memorial service near the venue for the planned government memorial service.
President Jacob Zuma had not, however arrived at the service, said Mutasa.
Malema, who was expected to speak at the service, had criticised the government and Zuma after the killing of the miners.
He also led miners to a police station on Tuesday to open a murder case against the policemen who opened fire on the striking miners.
The violence began when mine workers demanding a 300 per cent pay rise began the strike which degenerated into clashes as police clashed with armed miners.
Unrest spreads
Meanwhile turf war between the ANC-allied National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and rival Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) which spilled over to other mines along the platinum belt on Wednesday, has raised fears that anger over low wages and poor living conditions could generate fresh violence.
Analysts have also raised concerns that the unrest could spread to gold producers.
Impala Platinum, the world number two platinum producer also warned on Thursday that the industrial action could become more widespread.
"The platinum industry is experiencing increased levels of industrial action ... These developments pose a significant risk to the industry," said Terence Goodlace, Implats' chief executive.
Goodlace said the trade union rivalry was still "fairly volatile".
Labour disputes in South Africa's platinum belt have turned increasingly violent this year.
In February, three people died at the Implats mine during a wildcat strike.
Investment woes
The strike at Lonmin's Marikana mine has driven up platinum prices and stoked worries about investing in Africa's biggest economy, where chronic unemployment and income disparities threaten social stability.
Platinum prices were at it highest in three and a half months and signs that of the turf war between unions will spread looked set to increase it further as investors refocus on supply risks rather than demand.
Platinum mining companies are struggling to reconcile opposing pressures to improve employment terms while dealing with a sharp drop in demand, which forced prices below the cost of production.
Swiss bank UBS said the situation in South Africa could take weeks to resolve. It estimated a loss of platinum production from the unrest of up to around 70,000 ounces, and flagged potential for trouble to spread to bigger producers.
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