ANGLO American Platinum (Amplats) said on Wednesday it had suspended its Rustenburg operations with immediate effect to protect the safety and security of its employees from outside intimidation.
CEO Chris Griffith said: “Our employees are not on strike. However, in light of the current volatile situation in the Rustenburg area ... Anglo American Platinum has decided to suspend its operations in the Rustenburg area.”
Amplats chairman Cynthia Carroll said: “We are in touch with the authorities at the highest level to identify how we can work together with our tripartite partners — government and the recognised labour unions — to achieve a swift and peaceful resolution to these illegal actions.”
Ms Carroll said the company's Rustenburg platinum operations were already under financial pressure, with Wednesday's suspension risking its long-term viability the longer the situation lasted.
But strikers hit back at claims by the company on Wednesday that protesters near its Thembelani mine were not its employees.
Agitated protesters said they were indeed employed by world’s biggest producer of platinum.
"If it were not for this industrial action, most of us would be deep inside shafts, sweating for Amplats. Do not be tricked by them," protester Themba Ngaba said.
He and dozens of other protesters showed their Amplats identification cards.
"I am a rock driller for them. Among other things, workers are angered by the substandard mageu (fermented mealie-meal energy drink) provided by the company," he said.
Mr Ngaba said he had worked for Amplats for seven years.
The protesters are demanding a monthly salary of R12,500.
On Wednesday morning, Amplats had insisted the protesters gathered near its Thembelani mine in Rustenburg did not work for the mine.
"The facts are, our employees are not on strike. The people who are chanting around the mines are from neighbouring communities and we cannot identify who they are," Amplats spokeswoman Mpumi Sithole said.
Police were keeping watch when a large group of protesters, carrying traditional weapons, assembled at the Thembelani shaft. Five police nyalas and a water cannon were at the scene. A police helicopter hovered overhead.
Mr Sithole said no memorandum of demands for a wage increase had been given to management by staff members.
At Lonmin, community members were mobilised by strikers to join a march to the smelters on Wednesday.
Workers, carrying umbrellas, knobkerries and assegais, said they were going to the smelters to check whether there were any other people working at the centre.
"We want all operations to stop. That is why we are going to [the] smelters," said Loyiso Matsheketshe.
Police on the ground and in a helicopter hovering overhead monitored the group, estimated to be more than 5,000 people, including women.
The Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration said it would hold another meeting with all relevant parties on Thursday.
Tear gas was fired at protesters at Gold Fields’ KDC West mine, near Carletonville, on Wednesday morning.
Thousands of workers ran to a stream, where they washed their eyes, while security guards wearing gas masks sat in vehicles.
A protester, Mfanayedwa Themba, said the strikers had wanted to stop a train and it was when they went onto the railway tracks that guards started firing tear gas.
Massive veld fires started after the gas was fired, and large clouds of smoke floated over the roads.
Earlier, National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) leaders spoke to striking workers, some wearing balaclavas and carrying sharpened sticks and planks.
NUM regional secretary Mbuyiseli Hibana said they were going to address members soon. "We want them to go back to work."
Armed guards from Gold Fields, both on foot and in armoured vehicles, were stationed around the mine.ANGLO American Platinum (Amplats) said on Wednesday it had suspended its Rustenburg operations with immediate effect to protect the safety and security of its employees from outside intimidation.
CEO Chris Griffith said: “Our employees are not on strike. However, in light of the current volatile situation in the Rustenburg area ... Anglo American Platinum has decided to suspend its operations in the Rustenburg area.”
Amplats chairman Cynthia Carroll said: “We are in touch with the authorities at the highest level to identify how we can work together with our tripartite partners — government and the recognised labour unions — to achieve a swift and peaceful resolution to these illegal actions.”
Anglo Platinum striking mineworkers hit back at claims by the company on Wednesday that protesters near its Thembelani mine were not its employees.
Agitated protesters said they were indeed employed by world’s biggest producer of platinum.
"If it were not for this industrial action, most of us would be deep inside shafts, sweating for Amplats. Do not be tricked by them," protester Themba Ngaba said.
He and dozens of other protesters showed their Amplats identification cards.
"I am a rock driller for them. Among other things, workers are angered by the substandard mageu (fermented mealie-meal energy drink) provided by the company," he said.
Mr Ngaba said he had worked for Amplats for seven years.
The protesters are demanding a monthly salary of R12,500.
On Wednesday morning, Amplats had insisted the protesters gathered near its Thembelani mine in Rustenburg did not work for the mine.
"The facts are, our employees are not on strike. The people who are chanting around the mines are from neighbouring communities and we cannot identify who they are," Amplats spokeswoman Mpumi Sithole said.
Police were keeping watch when a large group of protesters, carrying traditional weapons, assembled at the Thembelani shaft. Five police nyalas and a water cannon were at the scene. A police helicopter hovered overhead.
Mr Sithole said no memorandum of demands for a wage increase had been given to management by staff members.
At Lonmin, community members were mobilised by strikers to join a march to the smelters on Wednesday.
Workers, carrying umbrellas, knobkerries and assegais, said they were going to the smelters to check whether there were any other people working at the centre.
"We want all operations to stop. That is why we are going to [the] smelters," said Loyiso Matsheketshe.
Police on the ground and in a helicopter hovering overhead monitored the group, estimated to be more than 5,000 people, including women.
The Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration said it would hold another meeting with all relevant parties on Thursday.
Tear gas was fired at protesters at Gold Fields’ KDC West mine, near Carletonville, on Wednesday morning.
Thousands of workers ran to a stream, where they washed their eyes, while security guards wearing gas masks sat in vehicles.
A protester, Mfanayedwa Themba, said the strikers had wanted to stop a train and it was when they went onto the railway tracks that guards started firing tear gas.
Massive veld fires started after the gas was fired, and large clouds of smoke floated over the roads.
Earlier, National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) leaders spoke to striking workers, some wearing balaclavas and carrying sharpened sticks and planks.
NUM regional secretary Mbuyiseli Hibana said they were going to address members soon. "We want them to go back to work."
Armed guards from Gold Fields, both on foot and in armoured vehicles, were stationed around the mine.
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