South African riot police used water cannons and rubber bullets as they moved in on hundreds of striking miners

The advance on the shanty town comes a day after miners went on a rampage, stripping a man naked and killing him during a protest outside the Rustenburg platinum plant -- the world's largest platinum mine. They also torched several homes and blocked roads leading up to the mine, which is located 80 miles north of Johannesburg.

Police made eight arrests and are looking into reports miners intimidated people approaching the plant. Since the strike began a month ago, the price of platinum -- a key ingredient in catalytic converters in cars -- has gone up 7 percent.

Deborah Gembara, Reuters.