.

NO PAY RISE, NO WORK

No mining operations will resume at Lonmin’s Marikana mine, in North West, before striking mineworkers’ demand for a R12,500 salary hike is met, they said.

Some of the thousands of workers protesting at various shafts around Marikana indicated they were going for broke.

A 40-year-old man who worked at Lonmin for 11 years said: “We are not prepared to back down, but if the employer comes tomorrow and says 'I’ll pay R12,500', we will definitely go back to work”.

Powell Dalibango, who has worked for Lonmin since 2005, said: "Do you think we are worried because Lonmin is losing money? We are not. We have lost things worth more than money in this situation".

Dalibango, from the Eastern Cape, said he was determined to continue being part of the protest, despite the financial implications of the “no work, no pay policy”.

Dalibango’s sentiments were echoed by colleague Simon Itumeleng, who has worked for Lonmin since 1997.

“We are not going to back down. I am paid R4,000 [a month] and it is just insufficient. I have huge responsibilities at home. We are going to get the R12,500 which we have demanded from Lonmin.” 

Another Lonmin mineworker, Luvo Ntlokwane, said that even though the industrial action had dragged on for several weeks, there was no solution other than the pay hike.

On Monday, mineworkers braved the scorching Rustenburg sun to spend the day protesting for the pay rise.

A timely intervention by police saved one man from agitated protesters near Marikana.

Armed protesters wielding knobkerries, pangas, and spears walked from mine shaft to mine shaft calling for the closure of all operations.

The strikers insisted that people they met on the way join their procession.

A middle-aged man saw the crowd approaching, and turned and ran. Strikers gave chase, shouting as the man sprinted to a nearby main road.

There, he was picked up by one of several police vehicles, including armoured Nyalas, which were escorting the protesters, and was taken to safety.

After a visit to three mining shafts and the hostels, they settled at an open space near the hostels. One of the leaders of the protest, identified only as Bob, spoke to them.

Around 5pm, the protesters were taken in buses, owned by Lonmin, to an open space where the Gift of the Givers had set up a camp. A large group people gathered around the charity organisation’s trucks. Women left carrying food and nappies.

On August 16, police fired on a group of protesting workers, killing 34 of them and wounding 78. Another 10 people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed in the preceding week.

Work stopped at the mine on August 10.

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Thu May 23 09:46:11 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 11, 2012

warry

Kunzima emhlabeni.
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

Ompas

The worst is till to come considering the current situation.
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

Shredder

R12 500 is not going to happen.
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

_Sinudeity_

Shredder - Yeah, it aint gonna happen. Based on the mines profits, and based on the increases for 40,000 workers. The mine will break even if it does the salary increases.

I recon the mine is going to shut down, and 40,000 people will be unemployed.
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

Chichi7

Sometimes, we need to weigh our choices. These miners have a potential of losing jobs, then what?
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

MommaC

_Sinudeity_

Not even.
If every man in the mine gets a R800 rise in pay, Lonmin comes up short over a billion rand for salaries.
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

Ompas

The sad thing is that the strikes ar mushrooming all over rustenburg now cause of this R12 500 despite the bad situation that they see at lonmin.
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

Chichi7

Sadly, there are many people in this country that would give their right eye to have that R4000 to feed their families.
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

Danielrjvvuren

So over this story now. It will not happen guys. Can you guys not have maybe a little less? Start small R5000? Or R6000? You guys will end up unemployed and then cry fowl. Have we not debated this to all extents it can?
Report Abuse

Sep 11, 2012

truthhurt

FROM NO WORK NO PAY TO NO PAY RISE, NO WORK

Its a new day!!!


Report Abuse

Read all 71 comments