LABOUR unrest has spread in South Africa with a wildcat strike by 15,000 workers stopping operations at a goldmine while few workers reported for duty in the fourth week of a stoppage at the world's third largest platinum mine.

Gold Fields International said its strike started on Sunday night and that senior managers were at the scene on Monday trying to find out what is wanted by miners at the western section of its KDC mine.

The eastern section of the mine was operating normally.

At a second platinum mine, Implats, more than 15,000 workers are demanding a 10 per cent pay rise although they are continuing to work, spokesman Johan Theron said.

Lonmin PLC platinum mine said just six per cent of its 28,000 workers turned up on Monday morning at its mine in Marikana, west of Johannesburg.

Strikers have threatened to kill any miners or managers who do not respect their demand for all work to stop until Lonmin agrees to a monthly take-home pay of 12,500 rand ($A1,480), about double their current wages.

Hundreds of chanting miners descended on one of the mine shafts on Monday, carrying traditional spears and sticks.

They marched under the close eye of armed police in riot gear, some in armoured cars, others on foot.

Miners told The Associated Press they are getting desperate and do not have enough money to feed their families because of the no-work, no-pay strike.

But they said they remain resolute and will not return to work until their wage demand is met. The miners refused to give their names to a reporter.

Lonmin had hoped many more miners would come to work after a peace accord was signed last week with three major unions.

But it was rejected by a breakaway union and strikers who say they do not want to be represented by any union.

The government brokered the peace deal after police shot and killed 34 miners and wounded 78 on August 16, a mass shooting reminiscent of apartheid-era days that has traumatised the nation of 48 million.

The last of the dead miners were buried on the weekend, one in Lesotho and three in South Africa.

Half a dozen buses carrying mourners who had attended the funerals in far-flung parts of the country returned on Monday to a shantytown of tin-walled shacks without water or electricity near the mine.