AMCU to fight Amplats sale
Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) should sell its Rustenburg mine to the workers, Amcu leader Joseph Mathunjwa said on Saturday.
"We have provident funds that we can put as security and continue to mine platinum," he said.
"If we own these mines we will never export raw material abroad and we will create job opportunities here."
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) was opposed to Amplats plan to sell its Rustenburg and Limpopo operations. Amplats made the announcement last month after a five-month strike on the platinum belt.
"We will fight fire with fire to protect the rights of our members within the ambit of the law," Mathunjwa said.
He told a crowd of about 12,000 that his union would fight back if Amplats sale aimed to send workers to starve at home.
"That will never happen."
Union members braved the cold windy weather to mark the second anniversary of the Marikana shooting on Saturday.
Forty-four people were killed during a violent wage strike at Lonmin in August 2012.
Thirty-four mineworkers were killed on August 16, 2012 when police opened fire on them. Ten including two policemen and two Lonmin security guards were killed in the preceding week.
Mathunjwa called on union members to be peaceful and disciplined.
North West police said the commemoration was peaceful.
"Police are deployed around the area to ensure safety and security of the people," said Brigadier Thulani Ngubani.
"Police will continue to monitor the situation. At this stage, no major incidents have been reported," he said.
Ngubani said dangerous weapons in terms of the new Dangerous Weapons Act, were taken from the people on their way to the commemoration as part of enforcing the conditions of the gathering.
"Among the seized items were knives, knobkerries, sharp iron rods and machetes."
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