Johannesburg - The Association for
Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) claimed on Wednesday that
Lonmin and the NUM had excluded it from talks on the strike at
Marikana.
The National Union of Mineworkers and Amcu were to have met on Tuesday night, Amcu president Joseph
Mathenjwa said.
"We waited for at least two hours
at Lonmin [JSE:LON] offices, only to see National Union of
Mineworkers president Senzeni Zokwana emerge from a meeting with
management," he said.
Mathenjwa said Congress of Traditional
Leaders of SA leader Phathekile Holomisa had asked the unions and
management for talks on Tuesday night.
Lonmin could not be reached for comment
late on Wednesday.
NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said he
did not know anything about the meeting, but said Amcu did not have
the bargaining rights at Marikana which would enable it to negotiate
with the employer.
"They only have bargaining rights
at Lonmin's Karee mine, not Marikana. Amcu does not have
representation at Marikana," Seshoka said.
Amcu met Labour Minister Mildred
Oliphant in Rustenburg on Wednesday. Oliphant said in a statement
that the meeting was "to defuse the tensions" at Marikana
mine.
"The meeting was cordial... Amcu
told us their side of the story and problems they are confronted with
at the mines. We resolved to continue talking. We will involve other
unions in a bid to find a lasting solution."
On Thursday last week, 34 workers were shot dead
and 78 were wounded when police tried to disperse striking miners in
Marikana.
Another 10 people, including two police officers, were
killed in the preceding week.