Renewed hope as South African miners get new offer

There is renewed hope the three month strike in the platinum mining sector is nearing an end following a revised wage offer from mine owners.  Three mining houses, Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), Impala Platinum (Implats) and Lonmin have presented workers with a new offer in a bid to end the strike.

If accepted, the new offer includes, entry level underground employees’ minimum salary, comprising basic pay and holiday, living and other allowances, rising to R12,500 ($1,100) a month by July 2017.  The strike has so far resulted in workers losing R6,047 million collectively earnings, while the companies have lost a combined R13,607 million since the strike action began, the Chamber of Mines website reported.

The strike is also now taking a toll on many small businesses in the surrounding communities in the Northwest Province, and hopes of a deal are likely to be met with optimism in the area.  AMCU have not yet commented on the revised wage offer, however, there are reports that the workers may not be willing to take the offer, insisting of an immediate living wage of R12,500, tempering optimism of a deal being reached.

Negotiations between platinum miners and AMCU are expected to resume following the new wage offer.  Close to 80 000 members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) have been on strike since January 23.