ANC blames the mining companies

similarities between the illegal Marikana mine strike and one at Impala Platinum earlier this year. “It is our considered view that employers have an interest in fanning this conflict to reverse the gains achieved by workers. That the platinum industry has refused to be part of centralised bargaining tells the story of the belief in divide and rule,” it said in statement.

Mantashe on Friday refused to say whether the views expressed at the meeting represented those of the ANC and its government.

The secretaries came to the defence of the embattled National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), an affiliate of Cosatu, which has been accused by striking workers at Lonmin of neglecting its members to appease the employers.

“This labelling of both the NUM and the state is part of a broader theme of delegitimising the liberation movement in its broad sense,” the statement said.

The alliance’s sentiments seemed to be shared by President Jacob Zuma who, on Friday evening, told an ANC gathering in Northern Cape that it was high time mining companies honoured the stipulations of the country’s Mining Charter.

“Mining companies are required to improve the housing and living conditions of workers and also invest in their training and community development. It is necessary to create humane living conditions that promote the dignity of workers,” he said.

Vavi told a National Economic Development and Labour Council summit that developments in Marikana were a warning of a bigger crisis in the mining industry.

“The recent Marikana mine massacre was an exploding bomb sending an alarm signal to all of us,” said Vavi.