Rustenburg -
Striking Lonmin workers vowed on Monday to stay away from work until their demand for a R12 500 monthly wage has been met.
“No R12 500, we will remain here until after Wednesday,” said their leader Zolisa Bodlani.
He said Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant was expected to meet unions, management and worker representatives on Wednesday.
“Mine management said the matter was now on the hands of the minister until a meeting on Wednesday. We will not go to work,” Bodlani said.
The workers hoped to meet with Oliphant on Tuesday, to raise their concerns.
After that meeting they would decide whether their delegates would attend a meeting on Wednesday between four unions, mine management and the minister.
The four unions are the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), and Uasa.
Strikers who were gathered at the mine on Monday dispersed peacefully, while the police kept watch from a distance.
Recent protests at the mine were believed to be linked to rivalry between the Amcu and the NUM over recognition agreements at the mine, and the demand for higher wages.
Thirty-four people died and 78 were wounded when police opened fire on protesters on August 16. Ten people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed in the preceding week.
Police arrested 260 people. They appeared in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges ranging from murder to public violence. - Sapa