Johannesburg - Thousands of mineworkers fired by Anglo American Platinum are not going to appeal their dismissal, but will continue with their strike and demands for a salary increase.
The mining company, which announced a total loss of 39 000 ounces in platinum production and approximately R700 million in revenue since the wage strike started more than three weeks ago, announced the dismissal of 12 000 workers last week.
Anglo American Platinum [Amplats] said the workers were fired in absentia after failing to make representations at, and attend, their disciplinary hearings. Those affected were given three days to appeal the decision to fire them, but workers said in a mass meeting near Turffontein in the North West on Saturday that they were not shaken.
The miners said their strike in which they are demanding a salary of R16 070 would continue and said the ball was in Amplats’ court to grant them an increase and stop the violent strike.
At least three people have died since the strike began at Amplats. Workers at Amplats downed tools a week before the end of the Lonmin strike in Marikana, where 45 people were killed.
Amplats announced that the strike had spread to its Union and Amandelbult mines, where workers had presented memorandums of demands similar to those received in Rustenburg.
Striking workers’ committee member Thebe Maswabi said Amplats should focus more “on how to end the strike and not pour fuel on the flame by firing workers”.
“We’re talking about workers who are now very angry that they have been dismissed for no offence but demanding a salary raise which they deserve. It is for this reason that no one is going to appeal the dismissal,” he said.
“Amplats must realise that the strike is spreading to its other operations and must now attend to workers’ grievances so that work can resume and the company and workers make money.”
Another committee member, Evans Ramokga, said Amplats had “indicated to us that they can reinstate those they dismissed but only if we go back to work”.
“We’ve made it clear that we’re not going back to work and no one is going to appeal that mass dismissal. Workers are not shaken by the dismissal and will continue to fight for what they deserve,” he said.
Amplats chief executive Chris Griffith said: “The company is committed to participating in the platinum centralised-engagement structures driven by the Chamber of Mines as well as exploring the possibility of bringing forward wage negotiations within our current agreements.”
Ramokga said their committee was due to meet Amplats on Monday and would report the outcome of their meeting to striking workers.
Meanwhile, a task team has been set up in Ekurhuleni in an attempt to respond quickly to attacks on truck drivers, and make arrests.
“This weekend has been relatively quiet since Friday,” said Ekurhuleni metro police department [EMPD] spokesman Inspector Kobeli Mokheseng. He said five trucks were set alight in Ekurhuleni on Friday, but that no incidents had been reported on Saturday and Sunday.
The total number of injured drivers and passengers now stands at 22, and 33 trucks have been set alight in Ekurhuleni alone.
Mokheseng said the EMPD would patrol hotspots in the area and that a task team had been set up in conjunction with the SAPS to respond “on the double” to any violence toward non-striking truck drivers.
He said this would help them make more arrests and prevent further violence.
The EMPD have also begun to escort trucks which supply the petrol for their police cars, but not other trucks.
More talks are scheduled for Tuesday as the truck drivers’ strike enters its third week.
“We’re not very far apart on the increase,” said Vincent Masoga, spokesman for the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union [Satawu].
Masoga said the union had applied at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration for permission to expand the strike to ports and railways.
Satawu has been asking for a 12 percent wage increase, but was prepared to negotiate a compromise if the employers, including the Road Freight Employers’ Association, were also willing to compromise.
“We’re prepared to even take 10 percent, but the guys are not budging at all,” Masoga said.
The Star- Additional reporting by Sapa