Donations trickle into Amcu's strike fund

Johannesburg - Donations were trickling into Amcu's strike fund, union leader Joseph Mathunjwa said on Monday.

"Contributions do not come as we expected. There are good Samaritans who have contributed. I hope after this briefing, media houses will pledge contributions," he told reporters in Johannesburg.

The fund was created to help platinum mineworkers who have been on a wage strike since January.

"In some families we help them with funerals for example. The needs may differ."

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union had donated R1m to the fund's account, which was opened in April. A total of R50 000 was donated by union officials and staff members.

United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa donated R10 000 to Amcu during his election campaign in Freedom Park, Rustenburg, on April 26.

Amcu members at Lonmin, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum operations in Rustenburg and North West, and at Northam in Limpopo downed tools on January 23 demanding a basic salary of R12 500 over a period of four years.

In March, the union marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to hand over a memorandum to President Jacob Zuma, raising the union's unhappiness about how government departments had handled the strike.

Mathunjwa said Zuma had not responded to the memorandum.

The strike, now in its 102nd day, has cost mining companies over R16bn in revenue and workers R7.29bn in earnings.