Striking South African miners open talks with platinum firms
Striking miners demanding a 150 per cent wage increase have entered into negotiations with the world's top three platinum producers in Johannesburg
South Africa’s main platinum union started government-brokered talks with the world’s top three platinum companies on Friday to end a wage strike that risked turning violent.
As many as 100,000 members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) walked out at Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum (Implats) and Lonmin on Thursday, hitting more than half of world platinum production.
Implats said on Friday striking workers were blocking miners who wanted to report for work at its operations near Rustenburg, 120 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg.
“Never a good situation as it raises tension and the risk for potential violence,” Implats spokesman Johan Theron said.
However, in Johannesburg AMCU leaders started talks at 9am with the three firms under the auspices of South Africa’s main commercial arbitration body, labour ministry spokesman Musi Zondi said.
“Obviously it would be good if something positive were to come out of it,” he said.