ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has warned workers against being victims of unionists who use muthi to "hijack" members from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
Such leaders, Mantashe said, were leading workers to the "valley of death".
Mantashe was speaking at a political lecture in the North West town of Rustenburg yesterday.
The lecture was part of NUM's campaign to stop the mass exodus of members to rival union Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).
In what appeared to be a veiled attack on Amcu president, Joseph Mathunjwa, Mantashe said negotiations cannot be done with intelezi (traditional medicine).
"I can tell you from experience that you will have a lot of victims.
"You will want to make heroes out of victims of stupidity," said Mantashe, who is a former NUM general secretary.
"You can't lead mine workers based on emotion and populism.
It is estimated that at least 37000 members have left NUM for Amcu so far. As a result, Amcu has the upper hand at Impala Platinum after it was officially recognised as the majority union.
Disgruntled workers at Lonmin's Marikana mine in Rustenburg left NUM and joined Amcu during a violent wage dispute which claimed 44 lives.
Some are believed to have gone to a sangoma who gave them muthi to make them invincible during their confrontation with the police.
In his testimony at the Marikana inquiry, NUM president Senzeni Zokwana said Amcu had lied to workers about NUM having connived with mine bosses to block their demands for a R12500 minimum wage, triggering the strike.
Mantashe also praised NUM as the " child of the struggle", adding that an attack on NUM was a direct attack on the ANC.
He blamed Implats bosses for giving Amcu an extra hand to take over worker representation in the North West's mining belt, implying a conspiracy to weaken NUM.
He said while wanting a pay raise was justified, negotiations must take into consideration the impact of things likeretrenchments.
He used Implats as an example as it had planned to shed 14000 jobs but suspended its decision after a public outcry.
But Mantashe did not spare NUM members in his criticism, blaming them for their problems, which in part he said had to do with tenders.
"Stop this tender thing. The enemy is the employer and the way you behave," he said.
Mantashe warns workers on Muthi
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has warned workers against being victims of unionists who use muthi to "hijack" members from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
Such leaders, Mantashe said, were leading workers to the "valley of death".
Mantashe was speaking at a political lecture in the North West town of Rustenburg yesterday.
The lecture was part of NUM's campaign to stop the mass exodus of members to rival union Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).
In what appeared to be a veiled attack on Amcu president, Joseph Mathunjwa, Mantashe said negotiations cannot be done with intelezi (traditional medicine).
"I can tell you from experience that you will have a lot of victims.
"You will want to make heroes out of victims of stupidity," said Mantashe, who is a former NUM general secretary.
"You can't lead mine workers based on emotion and populism.
It is estimated that at least 37000 members have left NUM for Amcu so far. As a result, Amcu has the upper hand at Impala Platinum after it was officially recognised as the majority union.
Disgruntled workers at Lonmin's Marikana mine in Rustenburg left NUM and joined Amcu during a violent wage dispute which claimed 44 lives.
Some are believed to have gone to a sangoma who gave them muthi to make them invincible during their confrontation with the police.
In his testimony at the Marikana inquiry, NUM president Senzeni Zokwana said Amcu had lied to workers about NUM having connived with mine bosses to block their demands for a R12500 minimum wage, triggering the strike.
Mantashe also praised NUM as the " child of the struggle", adding that an attack on NUM was a direct attack on the ANC.
He blamed Implats bosses for giving Amcu an extra hand to take over worker representation in the North West's mining belt, implying a conspiracy to weaken NUM.
He said while wanting a pay raise was justified, negotiations must take into consideration the impact of things likeretrenchments.
He used Implats as an example as it had planned to shed 14000 jobs but suspended its decision after a public outcry.
But Mantashe did not spare NUM members in his criticism, blaming them for their problems, which in part he said had to do with tenders.
"Stop this tender thing. The enemy is the employer and the way you behave," he said.
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