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Johannesburg - Threats by expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema to make mines ungovernable will result in job losses, the Democratic Alliance said on Friday.
"The fact that this may happen quietly and over time,
in the form of new investments that are not made, does not make it any less
certain," spokesperson James Lorimer said in a statement.
"Diminished investment will mean less inflow of new
money that mining constantly requires to maintain itself and to grow. That
means some jobs will end when mines close and will not be replaced."
Lorimer said there were currently 500 000 people employed in
the country's mining industry.
On Thursday, Malema promised to make all mines in the
country ungovernable.
"We are going to lead a mining revolution in this
country... We will run these mines ungovernable until the boers come to the
table," he told workers at the Aurora mine in Grootvlei, Springs.
"We want them to give you a minimum wage of R12 500.
These people can afford R12 500. Mining in South Africa amounts to trillions of
rands."
Some South African mines were doing relatively well at the
moment, Lorimer said.
"But they need to do better than average in order to
offset the perceived risk of increased government pressure, either from
nationalisation or new resource rent taxes."
Lorimer said the recent violence at Lonmin [JSE:LON]
platinum mine in Marikana, North West, increased the risk.
"While Malema's criticism of a leadership vacuum is
accurate, his prescription to make mines ungovernable is self-serving and
destructive," he said.
Workers at the world's third-largest platinum producer went
on strike earlier this month, demanding a monthly salary of R12 500. They had
vowed not to return to work until their demand was met.
The strike turned violent and 10 people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed between August 10 and 12. On August 16, 34 miners were killed in a confrontation with the police.
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