Johannesburg - About 10 000 jobs could be lost in the mining
industry, National Union of Mineworkers' (Num) general secretary Frans Baleni
said on Thursday.
"We are talking about 10 000 jobs lost," he told
media on the sidelines of the Congress of SA Trade Unions' (Cosatu) conference
in Midrand.
The industry had already lost 4 800 jobs between February
and June, he said.
Lonmin [JSE:LON] planned to close down a shaft operated by Murray and
Roberts on contract. This would lead to 1 200 lost jobs. It had also cancelled
plans for a new development, costing a potential 3 000 jobs.
Anglo Platinum [JSE:AMS] had issued a section 189 notice in terms of
the Labour Relations Act to retrench 2 000 workers.
Impala Platinum Holdings [JSE:IMP] had told the Num some of its shafts were not
profitable, which could lead to even more job losses.
"All of these things are happening while we are
engaging the industry and DMR (department of mineral resources) to prevent a
jobs bloodbath," Baleni said.
This comes as "expectation has been created in the
industry" after a deal was reached with Lonmin of wage increases of up to
22%.
Baleni said the Num had been getting calls from members in
the coal, platinum and gold mining sectors wanting similar increases.
The Num was worried that the Lonmin deal would lead to copycat demands.