South African police fire stun grenades, rubber bullets as unions clash

 

Striking miners run away as South African police officers fire rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse miners who were trying to prevent a rally organised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg on October 27, 2012 (AFP Photo / Stephane De Sakutin)

Source: Russia Today

http://rt.com/news/africa-police-unions-clash-374/

South African police fired stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse striking miners who tried to foil a rally of the nation’s largest union. The miners say the union reached an unfavorable deal with Amplants mine without their consent.

­The Anglo American Platinum mine in Rustenburg has announced an agreement to reinstate 12,000 miners fired earlier this month for staging illegal strikes and failing to appear at a disciplinary hearing. The credit for the deal was taken by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

"[Amplants] agreed to reinstate all the dismissed workers on the provision that they return to work by Tuesday," the NUM announced Saturday, a day after the breakthrough in talks.

But the Amplants workers said they were neither aware of nor happy with the deal.

"We know nothing about it. We were not consulted, we only heard about it on the radio," Ampants miner Reuben Lerebolo told AFP.

 

Striking miners run away as South African police officers fire rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse miners who were trying to prevent a rally organised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg on October 27, 2012 (AFP Photo / Stephane De Sakutin)

Clashes outside a stadium in Rustenburg broke out after police cleared around 300 people from the area. Protesters armed with sticks and stones held posters reading "NUM we are tired of you." The demonstrators blocked the stadium’s entrance with vans and set T-shirts bearing the union’s emblem on fire.

The employees of the world’s largest producer of platinum say they cannot go back to work until their demands are met, including a monthly wage hike to 6,000 rand (about $1,800). Amplats in return offered a one-off "hardship allowance" of 2,000 rand (about $230) and the same working conditions as before, provided they return to work by Tuesday.

 

A South African policeman (2nd R) intervenes to protect a striking miner (2nd L) from being beaten by a member of the COSATU Union movement (R) as South African police officers fire rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse miners who were trying to prevent a rally organised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg on October 27, 2012 (AFP Photo / Stephane De Sakutin)

Saturday’s clashes turn a new page in the ongoing conflict between various union factions in the country. The strife itself is slowly replacing the wildcat strikes that have gripped South Africa since August. The miners have steadily grown dissatisfied with the way the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (COSATU), and its powerful affiliate NUM represent their interests. Striking South Africans even started a fresh union, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), to take matters into their own hands.

In Rustenburg, AMCU members tried to scuttle COSATU’s rally and even beat up several people wearing COSATU T-shirts. South Africa’s largest labor organization wanted to stage a rally Saturday in a bid to reclaim the northwestern area from “the forces of counter-revolution" after workers snubbed NUM in the recent strikes.

 

man holds a sign as striking miners gather in protest to prevent a rally organised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg on October 27, 2012 (AFP Photo / Stephane De Sakutin)

The South African strikes have begun to lose steam despite the recent clashes. At their peak, some 80,000 miners, representing about 16 percent of the mining workforce were striking around the country. If the Amplats miners were return to work on Tuesday, it would most likely put an end to labor unrest in the country.

 

South African police officers face striking miners as rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas are used to disperse miners who were trying to prevent a rally organised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg on October 27, 2012 (AFP Photo / Stephane De Sakutin)

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South Africa gold mine fires 8,500 striking workers

 

Striking mine workers gather outside the Anglo American Mine on Friday, October 5 in Rustenburg, South Africa

Source: Press TV

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/10/23/268382/s-africa-gold-mine-fires-8500-workers/

South African miner Gold Fields has sacked over 8000 of striking workers after they refused to return to work at the KDC East mine near the city of Johannesburg, a spokesman says.

“All 8,500 people who were on strike did not come back. They did not return to work, so we have issued dismissal letters to all of them,” spokesman Sven Lunsche announced on Tuesday.

“We have now reached a stage where we can't hold off anymore. Our hands were forced and we have now done it.”

Lunsche further stated that the workers have 24 hours to appeal their dismissal.

Workers at the last striking mine of the world's fourth gold producer in Carletonville, southwest of Johannesburg, ignored a final deadline set for 4:00 pm (14:00 GMT).

Tens of thousands working in South African mines --mostly located near the commercial hub of Johannesburg-- have been on strike for more than a month.

The strikes have paralyzed production in the country, which accounts for around seven percent of global mine products.

In August, clashes between striking miners and police left 46 miners dead at Lonmin platinum mine in the South African North West Province.

The strikes have damaged South Africa's reputation as an investment destination.

South Africa possesses nearly 80 percent of the world’s known platinum reserves. The country’s mining sector directly employs around 500,000 people and accounts for nearly one-fifth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

 

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