The 259 men arrested after a deadly police crackdown at a South African platinum mine heard charges Monday ranging from murder to public violence, in the first court hearing from the tragedy.

All the men, except one who is hospitalised, were brought in groups before the court in the Pretoria township of Ga-Rankuwa to hear the charges. Their next hearing was set for August 27.

Magistrate Esau Bodigelo remanded all the men in custody. An exact breakdown of all the charges was not immediately available, with proceedings being translated into several languages.

On Thursday police opened fire on hundreds of armed workers on a wildcat strike at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine, leaving 34 dead and 78 wounded in the bloodiest day of protest since apartheid.

Police and the independent police watchdog have both opened separate investigations into the killings. In addition President Jacob Zuma has announced a judicial commission of enquiry into the tragedy.

Police convoys with armoured vehicles brought the accused from prisons across the region to the court, where a group of around 100 people cheered as they arrived.

The group of mostly women brandished placards with slogans such as "Release the innocent workers".

The accused appeared before a packed courtroom, with half the public gallery cordoned off with police tape and armed officers.