Hopes that deal could be put on table by Lonmin

Traditional leader mediating conflict

ONMIN was expected to table a formal offer in a bid to meet miners’ demands and put an end to the five-week strike at its Marikana mine.

The platinum miner’s employees were informed of this at their gathering spot near the Nkaneng informal settlement in Marikana shortly after they had marched to a nearby mineshaft, demanding that production be halted yesterday.

MP and Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA leader Chief Phathekile Holomisa told thousands of workers that Lonmin had committed to putting something on the table today at a bargaining meeting facilitated by the CCMA.

“We came on board as traditional leaders… after Lonmin told us weeks ago that they were still concerned with burials and assisting bereaved families. We got back to Lonmin after realising that they have not said anything in response to workers’ demands,” he said.

“Lonmin committed to putting up an offer at a meeting attended by unions and delegates of miners. We’re hoping for a solution out of [today’s] meeting.”

The miners welcomed the news. The Lonmin employees said they would wait for a report-back from their delegates on the offer, then decide.

“We can assure you that the afternoon shift will be back at work [today] if Lonmin agrees to R12 500. If, for instance, they

Loffer something less, we’ll go back to the workers and report so that they can decide,” said striking workers’ leader Zolisa Bodlani. Lonmin had not confirmed the formal offer yesterday, but if it tabled an offer, it would be the first time the employer would be responding to the R12 500 salary demand.

Lonmin has been pushing for a peace accord to be signed and for its employees to return to work to allow negotiations to take place in a calm atmosphere. This was opposed by workers, who walked out of the meeting without signing the accord that the employer and the unions had signed.

“We have made it clear that our demand comes first… Lonmin must put something on the table and say to us ‘let’s talk’,” Bodlani said.

Meanwhile, striking workers have denied involvement in the death of a Lonmin employee whose body was discovered near their meeting spot in Nkaneng on Tuesday.

The man, who had yet to be identified, was stabbed and hacked several times.

Speaking on behalf of the striking miners, the leader of the SA Council Of Churches, Bishop Joe Seoka, said the miners were not violent.

“Workers are not signing the peace accord simply because they believe a [piece of] paper does not create peace. They want to have [Police Minister] Nathi Mthethwa and [national police] commissioner Riah Phiyega to be involved when peace is discussed.”