South Africa's Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) said on Tuesday that it had established a fund to aid striking platinum miners.

It added that it was bussing migrant workers home at Easter to sit out the strike at their rural homes.

The action by 70,000 Amcu members at Lonmin, Anglo American Platinum and Impala Platinum reaches the 12-week mark on Thursday.

Union president Joseph Mathunjwa said the strike fund would take donations from the public, as well as local and international interest groups.

He said Amcu members in other sectors had initially provided about one million rand (£56,300) for the fund.

But it is unlikely Amcu could provide strikers with compensation anywhere close to their wages.

While Amcu leaders claim support of the majority of workers, employers maintain two-thirds want to return to work.

And rival mining union NUM, which has been accepting Amcu members, has regained recognition at Anglo American Platinum, general secretary Frans Baleni said yesterday.