NUM planning fight-back

Tension is ratcheting up on the Rustenburg platinum belt as mining union NUM launches its fight-back to regain lost ground.

The NUM lost huge numbers of members after the August 2012 Marikana massacre, in which 34 miners were killed.

About 700 NUM regional leaders will meet from June 8 to 9 to discuss proposals for restoring the union to its heyday as South Africa's dominant mining union.

Proposals include capping subscriptions at R250 a month. Currently members contribute 1% of their wages, so higher earners pay more .

The union will hold a rally in the platinum belt on June 10, emboldened by the apparent closure of the office at the Lonmin mine of rival the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).

Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa did not respond to a request for comment.

The Rustenburg region was NUM's biggest source of members before 2012 but the union suffered a reversal of fortunes with the advent of Amcu. The newcomer union was seen as independent of the mining companies whereas the NUM was accused of being in cahoots with them.

NUM deputy general secretary William Mabapa said union membership was now thought to be 176232, as against 312,000 in 2012.

"There must be a discussion to see if we can manage this [discrepancy better] because experience has taught us that we are losing the majority of these members and we think that the organisation must cater for the needy but also not punish higher earners," said Mabapa.

"People in higher positions are discouraged from joining the NUM because they end up paying more."

Mabapa said the NUM was wary of losing high earners to rival unions which capped their subscriptions.

He said most of the people likely to switch their allegiance to rival unions Solidarity or Uasa worked either for Eskom or in the mining industry.

"Those are the sectors in which the 1% [subscription] ends up being more than R250," he said.

Andre Venter of Uasa confirmed that all the union's members pay the same: R108.

The NUM will also discuss increasing the tenure of office bearers from three to five years, and the term limit.

Said Mabapa: "It is something we think a maturing organisation must look at . it gives a leader time to implement resolutions and understand the organisations but we need to ensure we do not create a 'Mugabe situation' . [if a term limit is introduced] one will be comfortable that . one is not allowed to go on longer than the three terms."