Rustenburg -
The church has managed to open up dialogue between platinum producer Lonmin and its striking workers, the SA Council of Churches (SACC) said on Tuesday.
“We have managed to bring the management and the workers to engage each other. It is only in talks that we would be able to solve the problem,” said SACC president Bishop Jo Seoka.
He said the situation was conducive for the two parties to talk.
“The hostility has ceased,” he told reporters in Wonderkop, near Marikana in the North West, where 34 striking workers were shot dead in a confrontation with police two weeks ago.
Seoka described the talks as promising.
“There is hope; at least the two parties are talking.”
Worker spokesman Zolisa Bodlani said that in previous meetings with mine management, their demand for a R12 500 monthly salary was not discussed.
“In the previous two meetings, management promised to engage us on the R12 500 yesterday (Monday), but now they are saying the matter is in the hands of (Labour Minister) Mildred Oliphant.”
Oliphant was expected to meet worker delegates at 2pm on Tuesday.
Bodlani said they wanted to know the role the unions would play during a further meeting with the minister on Wednesday.
The striking workers had earlier indicated they wanted to represent themselves, without the help of the unions.
“Other unions have failed us, and some have not failed us, but we want to represent ourselves,” he said.
He said the unions should be observers at Wednesday's meeting.
The workers described themselves as “Lonmin workers” and not members of any union.
Lonmin said work attendance at its platinum mines was at eight percent on Tuesday.
“There are unsubstantiated reports of intimidation in two mining areas around Karee Mine this morning,” the company said in a statement.
“No incidents of violence have been reported. Management is appealing to all stakeholders to remain calm.”
Lonmin said it understood that its employees were waiting for the risk of intimidation to disappear before returning to work.
A meeting to sign a peace agreement would be held on Wednesday, at 10am, in the Rustenburg Civic Centre. It was organised by Oliphant and would be attended by unions, management and worker representatives.
“The signing of a peace accord is considered the first step of the resolution process and will provide all parties with a framework within which agenda items, such as wages, can be discussed,” Lonmin said.
Management encouraged all parties involved to sign the accord so the situation could be stabilised.
A handful of Lonmin workers gathered at the Nkaneng informal settlement on Tuesday. They sat in silence under umbrellas, listening to a priest.
The workers have vowed not to return to their jobs unless their demand of a R12 500 monthly salary is met. - Sapa