South Africa: Marikana situation may move from Impala [platinum] to gold

Vavi rushes off 'to prevent another Marikana'

By: Carien du Plessis, City Press 23 minutes ago

Johannesburg - Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has rushed out of the Cosatu congress to intervene in a wildcat strike at a Carletonville gold mine to try and prevent “another Marikana”.

On Wednesday afternoon, Vavi announced that he would leave with National Union of Mineworkers president Senzeni Zokwana to go to Gold Fields' Driefontein mine near Carletonville where management has obtained an interdict to fire 15 000 workers by tomorrow.

The workers have been on a wildcat strike for 10 days now for, among others, better wages.

Vavi told reporters: "We can't allow another Marikana situation to move from Impala [platinum] to gold. And that is why we feel we must take our chance to see if we can resolve this situation today."

Vavi, who has avoided intervening in recent mine conflicts personally, said workers have been in touch with Cosatu earlier in the day, asking for intervention.

His intervention followed the 22% wage rise agreed between Lonmin management and Marikana miners yesterday, without the Cosatu-affiliated NUM.

Expelled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema was at the Driefontein Goldfields mine last Tuesday, where he told miners to strike for a R12 500 wage and where he called for the NUM leadership to step down.

City Press

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.....just another factors to consider when speculating about the future prices of the shiny metals...

Cheers,

durban1