Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - The ANC leadership has questioned whether the strike in the North West platinum belt is a political one, its secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday.
"Of concern was whether this was a collective bargaining strike or a political strike," he told reporters at Luthuli House following the party's national executive committee meeting this week.
"This question arose having noted... disturbing developments."
Some of the developments included the Economic Freedom Fighters' alleged involvement in negotiations, and the articulation of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union's position, apparently by white foreign nationals.
"These two factors led the lekgotla into cautioning the ministry of mineral resources in handling the facilitation with care," said Mantashe.
"There were questions about the role of the state in workplace disputes where there are clear rules guiding it."
Amcu members at Lonmin [JSE:LON], Impala Platinum [JSE:IMP] and Anglo Platinum [JSE:AMS] downed tools on January 23 demanding a basic monthly salary of R12 500.
New Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi set up an inter-governmental technical team to help resolve the wage dispute.
Mantashe explained that the government intervened because people were being killed and it did not want a repeat of the 2012 Marikana tragedy.
He said in the past few weeks, five people were killed in the platinum belt.
"The State cannot be idle when workers are being killed...We should not allow that development as it would lead to another disaster."
"The employers must be forced to do what they committed themselves to do. The provision of decent accommodation is a commitment in the mining charter. Decent wages...is not ideological but important ones (commitments)."
Live updates: See how the press briefing unfolded
Also read: ANC worries over poor economic growth
