THE National Union of Mineworkers (Num) expressed
shock on Thursday at increasing violence and intimidation at Impala
Platinum and Lonmin mines.
The Num's national executive appealed to both companies
and the police to take drastic action against criminals and not allow
workers to commit crimes with impunity.
"The Num strongly warns the companies and law
enforcement to not allow a situation where sooner or later we will call
on our members to defend themselves in the absence of lawful
intervention," it said.
It said there had been several assault cases at Lonmin
and many deaths at Impala. Illegal mining, particularly in the Free
State where a worker was killed, was another concern.
Mineworkers' dependants should be compensated irrespective of the cause of death, and workers should be protected, the Num said.
It called on the Public Enterprises Minister Malusi
Gigaba to intervene over the lack of a minimum service level agreement
at Eskom.
This disadvantaged Eskom workers and interfered with their right to strike, the Num said.
Its national congress takes place at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, from May 23 to 26.