Two miners died at South Africa's Modikwa Platinum underground mine after a cave-in, bringing the number of workers killed at mines in the country this year to more than 10, the National Union of Mineworkers said Saturday.

Modikwa Platinum is partly owned by African Rainbow Minerals and has more than 5,000 workers.

The union said more than 120 miners were killed in South Africa's mining industry in 2011, compared with 128 in 2010.

[We] strongly believe that drastic action is needed to compel the mining industry to comply with safety standards and procedures, NUM representative Lesiba Seshoka said in a statement. We call on the state to hold the industry fully accountable for its failures and adopt a no-nonsense approach when it comes to mine deaths.

South Africa is looking at revised safety regulations to help tackle rising mine deaths in the country, which is the world's top platinum producer and a major gold producer. These regulations would likely become effective this year.

(Reporting by Phumza Macanda; Editing by Ed Lane)

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