The deaths of two mineworkers in what appears to be inter-union rivalries off-site near Harmony’s Kusasalethu gold mine raises fears that SA miner unrest continues to simmer
by Lawrence Williams:
LONDON -
"In what could be seen as a worrying development, two Harmony mineworkers have been killed in off-site violence near its Kusasalethu gold mine in what appears to be continuing inter-union violence – reminiscent of that on the platinum mines which came ahead of the Marikana massacre. This suggests that, although the mines have gone back to work after a serious disruptive period, violence still simmers under the surface and could rear up yet again as new unions attempt to challenge the National Union of Mineworkers' dominance of the industry.
"In a statement, Graham Briggs, Harmony’s CEO, said: “ “Harmony deplores the tragic and senseless loss of life in what appears to be inter-union rivalry, not associated with the operations of the mine. Management, the recognised unions and AMCU have continued to engage in talks about normalising the situation at Kusasalethu, since workers returned to work on the 25th of October 2012 following the unprotected strike. AMCU has applied for recognition and a process of membership verification is underway. We urge all employees and the unions to refrain from violence and follow the proper engagement processes that are in place. ..."
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