Rustenburg - Striking Lonmin workers have been offered a
once-off bonus in the hope of getting them back to work, a National Union of
Mineworkers (Num) negotiator said on Tuesday.
"They have been offered R1 500 once-off, which is
available (until) tomorrow (Wednesday) for them to report to work," said
Eric Gcilitshana.
Employees were considering the offer, he said.
Talks aimed at ending the strike, which began with normal
procedural warnings on August 10, are set to resume later on Tuesday.
A revised increase amount was taken to the company on
Tuesday. It was not the R12 500 workers originally wanted.
"I'm very positive and hopeful," said another
facilitator, Bench Marks Foundation chairperson Bishop Jo Seoka, who is also
president of the SA Council of Churches.
The Bench Marks Foundation is an independent faith-based
organisation monitoring corporate performance, and is involved in the mediation
process at the mine.
"Our talks were difficult on Monday. We were engaged in
talks until 1am," said the striking workers' leader Zolisa Bodlani.
"We are going to report back to workers at the
Wonderkop Stadium at 10am, and proceed to the negotiations," he said.
He denied a news report that workers had tabled an R11 000
demand at the negotiations.
"I cannot tell you the figure we are still
negotiating," he said.
Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration
(CCMA) director Nerine Kahn told SAfm on Tuesday that were was "incredible
commitment" from all parties to try and find a resolution.
"We know that the whole nation is watching," she
said.
"We also would like everybody just to be a little bit
patient, because it's important in the negotiations that you follow procedures
and try and make sure you keep the confidentiality... so people have the
opportunity to report back to their constituency and they can make decisions as
opposed to hearing from the public domain."
On Monday, worker representatives said the striking workers
were "not married" to their wage demand of a R12 500 monthly salary.
Kahn said she was hopeful that an agreement would be reached
soon, and said there was "significant commitment".
"Everybody in the room is trying to find each other....
They are trying to find ways of ending this impasse.
"We are always hopeful. Negotiations can take time. We
think there will be a solution.... We hope," she said.
Workers at Lonmin went on a wildcat strike on August 10. The
strike turned violent and 10 people were killed in the first week.
Six of them were members of the National Union of
Mineworkers (Num), two were security guards and two were policemen.
On August 16, 34 workers were killed when police opened fire
on them, 78 were wounded. Afterwards, 270 workers were arrested.
Another man, reported to be Num shop steward was found dead
last week, bring the number of people killed since the beginning of the strike
to 45.
The Lonmin strike has since spread to other platinum mines in Rustenburg and to a chrome mine.
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