Union turf war keeps Marikana on the boil

Marikana, where 44 people were killed when a platinum mine strike spun out of control last August, has remained in the spotlight with protracted tension over pay demands.

This week, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) demanded pay hikes of up to 60% in the gold and coal sector - leading to fears of similar demands in the platinum sector, and a repeat of last year's disastrous standoff.

At the heart of the wage talks lies a turf war between the NUM and the rival Association of Mining and Construction workers Union (Amcu).

When Business Times visited Marikana this week, tension was simmering. At Lonmin's Karee mine residential villages, off-duty mine- workers were playing cards and enjoying beer. Inside a nearby beer hall, patrons were chatting about soccer.

Yet miners said the NUM - once the dominant voice of mineworkers - had fallen rapidly from favour. Amcu now represents 70% of the workers at Lonmin. This is a dramatic reversal for Cosatu's flagship union, from which the ANC's current secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe, hailed.

Mokapeli Temeki, who comes from Boitshabelo in Bloemfontein, said Amcu had become "a real voice of the people" after the NUM became lax and silent on big issues affecting mineworkers.

"In many instances, Amcu has been vocal in exposing incidents, particularly where workers get injured underground. Workers were often blamed for negligence and dismissed. NUM was present, but nothing happened. Amcu, on the other side, has been exposing this," he said.

Ayanda Poswa, a rock-drill operator at Karee mine, said there had been some improvement in pay, but the R12500 - which Amcu had promised to deliver to workers - had not materialised.

Thabiso Meshao, a face-rig operator at Western Platinum, said Amcu president Joseph Matunjwa had promised to give feedback on pay hikes soon.

"Amcu is in the majority at Lonmin now. The president has promised to finalise the removal of NUM shop stewards so that they are replaced by Amcu. It is time we removed people earning a lot of money at the expense of those working hard underground."

Meshao also spoke about the murder of Amcu organiser Mawethu Stevens, who was expected to testify at the Farlam inquiry on the Marikana deaths.

Two weeks ago, before he could appear at the commission, Stevens was shot dead in a tavern in Photsaneng t ownship, a stone's throw from Marikana. Last week, Amcu-aligned miners went on a two-day wild cat strike to protest Stevens's murder.

Meshao said Stevens's murder was an attempt to weaken Amcu.

At the Karee mine shaft entrance, a group of Amcu members said the strike was a protest about the murder of "our members". They said some NUM members carried firearms underground with impunity.

"There is a campaign by NUM to wipe out our members. We want their office removed so that we will work peacefully. Once NUM is gone, there will be peace here. It is not going because management is on its side," they said.

The miners said that unless NUM vacates the offices by July, they will strike. They painted a picture of NUM as too weak to protect them from unsafe mining conditions, and claimed it even colluding with mining companies to cover-up safety breaches.