South African miners hit by rubber bullets

TEN striking South African miners have been taken to hospital after being hit by rubber bullets, as labour strife swells in mines and factories ahead of mid-year pay negotiations.

Auto maker MercedesBenz said a two-day wildcat stoppage at its East London plant had ended, but the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA) squashed any relief with an immediate demand for a 20% pay rise.

“If our demands are not met we will have no option but to go to the streets,” said NUMSA national treasurer Mphumzi Maqungo.

The comments underscored the fragility of labour relations in Africa’s biggest economy since last year’s bloody mining-sector unrest, and pushed the rand beyond 9.50 to the dollar for the first time since early 2009.

The currency extended its two-week slide after police confirmed security guards had fired rubber bullets at stone-throwing wildcat strikers at a chrome mine near the platinum belt town of Rustenburg, 70 miles northwest of Johannesburg.

The mining firm, Germany’s Laxness, said the guards had fired rubber bullets in self-defence into the ground in front of protesters.

South Africa’s annual mid-year wage negotiations usually start with lofty wage demands that are whittled down to something slightly above inflation.

However, negotiations have been derailed by a vicious turf war between mining unions that spilled over into violence last year.