Negotiations aimed at brokering peace at Lonmin Mine ended in a confrontation last night after negotiators failed to reach an agreement.The talks that began on Tuesday were aimed at normalising the situation at Marikana’s Lonmin Platinum Mine near Rustenburg in North West. Forty-four people died in a violent labour dispute two weeks ago. AMCU has described the talks as being one sided and only meant to serve the interests of the employer and the NUM. AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa has accused management and other stakeholders for disregarding the needs of the workers, hence they were left out during the last round of negotiations.

“I think to us it didn’t come as a surprise because remember on numerous occasion we have been set up by this management. We have in the mountain, we have been preaching peace for people to return to work, and the workers mandated us to call the workers to make commitment in terms of how will they reach that R12 500 but their cell phones were switched off. No one was cooperating, surely they are still continuing with their modus operandi,” says Mathunjwa.

Labour union Solidarity believes AMCU’s demands are unrealistic. Spokesperson, Gideon du Plesis says:  ”Solidarity always had the view that it might be a smoke screen, we have done some serious research on the payment of the workers and we have discovered that there are workers who are receiving a take home payment of R16 700 and those who would be receiving R4000. We noticed there was a high level of absenteeism, garnishee orders.”

The Congress of the South African Trade Unions, the National Union of Mineworkers and the Labour department have declined to comment. They instead released a short statement saying the talks will resume on Monday.

The police who fired on the miners are not facing any charges at this stage, pending the outcome of the judicial commission of inquiry into the killings.

Meanwhile, the state said yesterday that it was charging the 270 miners with the deaths of 34 of their colleagues, who were shot dead by the police at Lonmin’s Marikana mine earlier this month.

The state said they had been charged under the common purpose doctrine because they were present when the miners charged at the police while armed with various weapons.

The miners will also face charges of attempted murder and public violence. They were remanded in custody again yesterday so that the police can verify their addresses, take fingerprints and check on pending cases and convictions.

The police who fired on the miners are not facing any charges at this stage, pending the outcome of the judicial commission of inquiry into the killings. SABC. http://www.sabcnews.co.zaj