Johannesburg - Labour Minister Mildred
Oliphant met unions and Lonmin management on Friday to discuss ways
to resolve a dispute with striking Marikana mine workers.
"All the parties demonstrated
willingness and resolved to see a quick and lasting resolution to
this problem," she said in a statement.
"They also want to see the country
healed from recent tragic events and for all of us to move forward
together, and may our people find peace and solace in the efforts
that we all are making in resolving the current impasse."
The meeting was held in the Rustenburg
civic centre.
It brought together the National Union
of Mineworkers, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction
Union, Solidarity, the United Association Of SA, the Federation of
Unions of SA, the National Council Of Trade Unions, the Congress of
SA Trade Unions, and Lonmin management.
The minister said everyone agreed that
"urgent steps" had to be taken to facilitate peace after 34
mineworkers were shot dead and 78 were wounded during a clash with
police at the platinum miner's operation in Marikana, North West,
last Thursday. Ten people, including two police officers and two
security guards, were killed in the week preceding the clash.
The parties agreed they would conclude
a peace accord by Wednesday. They would also start discussing the
demands raised by the workers and how they could be accommodated
within the existing collective bargaining arrangements.
Earlier, Lonmin [JSE:LON] said it was working
towards peace with the strikers.
"We can confirm that we are
working towards an agreement on peace," spokeswoman Sue Vey
said.
"We are discussing the demands. It
is a process, and it hasn't been finalised yet."