From South Africa, it was gathered that mine workers has embarked on strike aimed to press home their demands for better living conditions.

According to sources, the General-Secretary of South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Frans Baleni says, “The strike ignited because the employers failed to respond to the reasonable demands submitted by the National Union of Mineworkers on behalf of its workers, among others, it is the recognition of the difficult underground environment it cannot be compared with the hospitality industry.”

Furthermore, Baleni says mine employers have refused to meet workers’ demands, despite repeated appeals. His comment was triggered by Anglo Platinum Mines announcement that it will begin retrenching about 3,000 of its workers, beginning today 3 September, 2013.

“What the employers are offering is six percent and 6.5 percent, which is below the inflation in some instances.  Our members are saying even if we do not strike, we are still going to be laid-off, so there is no point in not fighting for a living wage rather than say let us give in,” said Baleni.

The strike, according to analysts, could cripple the country’s mining industry, as Baleni insisted that the strike would enable workers to fight for their rights.
“It is a concern to us because already we are facing possibility of layoff.  About four of the gold mining companies have started some kind of layoff and we are extremely worried about it,” said Baleni.

The government has yet to intervene in the negotiations between management and the union representatives.

“We have said that the government should not interfere in terms of the collective bargaining process.  But the government must equally be concerned about potential layoff, which will impact negatively on the economy as well as when the government must come in to assist those who have been laid-off,” said Baleni.