Platinum giant Lonmin on Sunday ordered employees at a South African mine where police killed 34 people to return to work, but miners remained defiant as a week of national mourning was declared.

The London-listed company issued a final ultimatum to staff to end their wildcat stayaway three days after the worst episode of police violence since apartheid, as President Jacob Zuma declared a week of national mourning.

Lonmin said the call was “a last opportunity to return to work” for employees taking part in a strike stemming from a conflict between rival unions that had already claimed 10 lives and shut down production before escalating into Thursday’s bloodshed.

“Employees could therefore be dismissed if they fail to heed the final ultimatum,” warned the world’s number three platinum producer.

But workers who have been on strike at the Marikana mine since August 10 pledged to press on with their wage demands, and said the demand to return to work was “an insult” to colleagues who were gunned down by police.

“Expecting us to go back is like an insult. Many of our friends and colleagues are dead, then they expect us to resume work. Never,” said worker Zachariah Mbewu.

“Some are in prison and hospitals. [On Monday] we are going back to the mountain (protest site), not underground, unless management gives us what we want.” 

Lonmin set a Monday deadline for striking employees to return to work.

That will coincide with the start of a week of national mourning announced Sunday by Zuma. Flags will be lowered to half mast and an official day for nationwide memorial services held on Thursday.

“The nation is in shock and in pain. We must this week reflect on the sanctity of human life and the right to life as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic,” said Zuma.

The week will commemorate recent victims of violence, with Zuma singling out the Marikana carnage.

“We must avoid finger-pointing and recrimination. We must unite against violence from whatever quarter. We must reaffirm our belief in peace, stability and order and in building a caring society free of crime and violence,” he said.

The violence at the mine stems from a conflict between the powerful National Union of Mineworkers and the upstart Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which is calling for a tripling of wages.

Thursday’s crackdown left 34 dead, 78 wounded and 259 detained, and boosted the death toll to 44 after the 10 earlier deaths, including two police officers.

The violent police action has drawn parallels to the brutality seen under apartheid and sparked debate over the living conditions faced by miners, who voiced indignation at Lonmin’s ultimatum.

“Are they also going to fire the ones who are in hospitals and lying in mortuaries?” asked Thapelo Modima.

“It is better to be fired anyway because we are suffering, our lives won’t change. Lonmin does not care about our well-being, they have so far refused to hear us out, only sending police to kill us.” 

Workers say they are waiting to hear from mine bosses, whose latest ultimatum Sunday was an extension of a previous order to return.

“We won’t return to work unless they listen to our demands of salary increases,” said underground supervisor Fezile Magxaba.

“People have died, we are angry. If we return it will be like they died in vain,” he said while doing his laundry at a communal tap.

Churches in the impoverished informal informal settlements surrounding the mine held intimate services on Sunday.

Relatives of the missing mineworkers milled outside the mine’s hospital to check if their loved ones had been admitted there, had been arrested or were among the dead.

Police have claimed self-defence and several probes have been launched, including Zuma announcing a judicial commission of inquiry. - Sapa-AFP

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Sun May 19 07:43:08 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 20, 2012

Bolander

I am sure there are workers wanting to return to work, but they will be intimidated and killed for that - sad culture! This is only the beginning ...
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Aug 20, 2012

DJWinner

But wasn't suppose to be holidays this whole week so that we can mourn properly together with our families and loved ones?
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Aug 20, 2012

maneater

this is a clear case of putiing money interest over the safety of the people which is what brought about this in the first place. is the company going to guarantee the safety if those returning to work? if they cannot my suggestion is for them to hold off on the ultimatums and meet and adress the members which i understand is what the members were begging for for the whole of last week.
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Aug 20, 2012

candilious

@Bolander-Most of them want to return to work ,but afraid who would not be ..........long day underground just to be hacked to death at the end of the day............


@DJWinner -If only
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Aug 20, 2012

Mosquer

Employees could therefore be dismissed if they fail to heed the final ultimatum,” warned the world’s number three platinum producer.
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World's number three!!! But fails to pay what is required for poor workers. They are making them a profit of millions or can I say billions
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Aug 20, 2012

Bizzabo

Can the mine managers be a little sensitive maan. this is a week of mourning as the president put it. what is a week after losing so many days?
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Aug 20, 2012

DJWinner

Bizzabo
Can the mine managers be a little sensitive maan. this is a week of mourning as the president put it. what is a week after losing so many days?
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Well, we are dealing with foreigners here, they don't care about our people. They remained silent last week and started to speak when they see their million accumulations slowing down. That is why I support Malema if he says mines must be nationalised and be taken away from these UK colonists. These UK colonists are exploiting our people and this whole situation makes me very angry.
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Aug 20, 2012

What-the-heck

IMHO - Lonmin is insensitive. I think they should give at least a week or two before trying to resolve this issue, then with an open and sincere attitude.

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Aug 20, 2012

Bizzabo

DJWinner
If people had an idea how much a mine makes in just one shift they would be sayinng things they say.

These guys are actually the most important in mining, where the work starts. how do you expalin these operators earning 4000 and their miner earning in the region of R22K then the mine captain earning in the region of about R60K? check the wage gap.

worst part is all these mine shareholders and owners are sitting somewhere outside the country.they are not affected any bit by the loss of life, all they want o see is ore comin out of the ground
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Aug 20, 2012

RobinH

DJWinner
But wasn't suppose to be holidays this whole week so that we can mourn properly together with our families and loved ones?

You were not there, nor do I think you have any relatives there. What's with the "we" and "our"? The week is one of mourning. NOT A HOLIDAY!
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