JOHANNESBURG – The Affiliation of Mineworkers and Development Union (Amcu) has lashed out at Mineral Assets Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, for excluding the union from a gathering on tensions at Northam Platinum.
Zwane met with mine administration, police in addition to the bulk union at Northern Platinum, the Nationwide Union for Mineworkers (NUM) to debate this week’s clashes which have claimed the lives of two miners in Limpopo.
Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa says his union was not invited to yesterday’s assembly with the mineral assets minister.
He says the nation ought to keep in mind that comparable secret talks resulted in 34 miners being killed in Marikina in 2012.
“We’re a part of the mine, so why are we put aside? Everybody have to be on board.”
However Minister Zwane is adamant having leaders from each Amcu and the NUM on the similar assembly wouldn’t have been a good suggestion.
“It was not going to be within the [interest] of all of us, to have mixed Amcu members and members and the NUM staff.”
He says a gathering with Amcu leaders is on the playing cards.
(Edited by Masechaba Sefularo)