'Massive global disparity' in platinum miners' pay

Events are taking place across South Africa to remember the 44 people killed in recent violence at the north-western Marikana platinum mine.

A hymn-filled memorial service at the Lonmin-owned mine is being attended by church leaders, politicians and thousands of mourners.

Rreports of worker action at two other platinum mines have added to industry fears that the unrest is spreading. The price of platinum has leapt to its highest since May.

Charlie Long, a mining analyst for VSA Capital, told The World At One's Martha Kearney that rock drillers in South Africa were "some of the last workers" in the global platinum mining industry to get pay rises, possibly earning less than half in a month what their Australian counterparts would in a day.