North West - Congress of SA Trade Union (Cosatu) members danced and sang liberation songs at the Rustenburg taxi rank on Saturday.
They had been bussed in from various parts of the North West province as well as Gauteng and Limpopo.
Men and women dressed in red t-shirts ululated and whistled when the busses arrived .
Cosatu was holding a rally to demand the reinstatement of all workers who were dismissed following wildcat strikes in the mining sector.
In a memorandum prepared to be handed over to North West premier Thandi Modise and representatives of employers, Cosatu said the march was being held in order to display anger at the poverty, the “slave wages” and the poor working and living conditions workers were experiencing since the dawn of democracy.
“The poor people of this country continue to be marginalised and subjected to sub-standard services and slave wages which continue to degrade their lives while the politicians and business executives continue to benefit from the rich economy this country possesses,” the memorandum read.
The strike at Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) began in September where workers demanded R16,000.
They left the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and joined rival union the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) claiming that NUM did not serve the workers' interests.
The Amplats workers were still on strike despite the company firing 12 000 of them for failing to appear in disciplinary hearing.
Cosatu North West secretary Solly Phetoe said on Saturday that all the workers would be reinstated unconditionally.
Phetoe said the mine had agreed to reinstate them and offer a bonus of R2 000.
He said workers should not be afraid to participate in the march.
“Don't be afraid and don't allow to be provoked by any one...We have permission for this march,” he said.
Cosatu spokesman Norman Mampane said no incidents were reported since Saturday morning.
“There have been no incidents. The police are aware of the situation and are ready to deal with it according to the law,” he said.
This was after there had been reports that striking mine workers would interrupt the march.
Ten police Nyalas and two water cannons were at the bus rank were the march would begin, while a police helicopter circled above.
By 8.30am on Saturday the number of the police at the rank outnumbered the number of protesters gathered to march.
The rally at the Olympia Park stadium would be addressed by SA Communist Party secretary general Blade Nzimande, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe and Cosatu's secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi.
Rustenburg has been engulfed in recent strike activity.
The strike started at Lonmin's Marikana mine in August where workers demanded a monthly salary of R12 500 and by September 12 it spread to Amplats.
Lonmin workers ended the strike on September 20 when workers accepted pay hike that would see the lowest worker paid R9000.
On August 16, 34 Lonmin miners were shot dead during a confrontation with police. - Sapa