Lonmin deal revealed at inquiry

Schalk Burger, a lawyer representing the company, revealed this at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the Marikana shooting as he cross-examined Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa yesterday. The damning admission, which is contained in a statement by Gomes da Costa, vice-president of the mine's Karee operations, has brought to life a long-standing accusation by Mathunjwa that Lonmin's decision to increase the salaries of Karee rock-drill operators in June was the reason their colleagues from the other shafts embarked on an illegal strike. In a radio talk show recording played at the commission last week, Barnard Mokwena, the executive vice-president for human capital at Lonmin, denied that an increase was offered to rock drill operators. He told SAfm that workers received a R700 bonus instead. But yesterday Burger's statements revealed that Mokwena had lied. Burger said Da Costa will testify that it was necessary for the company to negotiate the remuneration packages of rock-drill operators because it paid lower salaries to miners with their calibre of skill compared to two other platinum mines - Anglo American Platinum and Implats Full report in The Times

Lonmin mine's 16 August decision to renege on agreements was an act of provocation, Mathunjwa said while being cross-examined by Advocate Karel Tip SC, representing the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), according to Business Report. Tip asked Mathunjwa why he had not 'ex plicitly' told armed, striking mineworkers to leave the hill where they had gathered and return to work. 'You are talking about an environment which is not my constituency,' Mathunjwa replied, adding he was not in control of the situation at the hill. He said mine management had reneged on a commitment, made on 15 August, to address the workers' grievances if they disarmed and returned to work. 'I didn't even know whether I was safe or not. Remember, I had (previously) told the workers that certain things were going to happen tomorrow; now I had to tell them management was no longer there. After my addresses to the workers on 16 August, some left the koppie...I was facing provocation. If the company had not reneged on its promises, the workers would have dispersed,' he said. Tip said his remarks to workers showed little intention of encouraging them to disarm and disperse. Mathunjwa replied: 'It's not true. If I was saying to them 'don't move from this mountain until R12 500 is in your pockets', then I would agree with you. Here I was talking of avoiding a massacre which later happened.' Full report in Business Report

Earlier, Burger cross-examined Mathunjwa about the second visit of the Amcu delegation to the koppie at Marikana. He asked Mathunjwa why his second address to the workers was not recorded, notes a report in The Citizen. Burger said: 'I want to know why you did not record the important second meeting? It is a simple question.' Mathunjwa responded: 'The media was present. I have asked why they do not provide the recording of my second visit to the commission.' He admitted he had used his cell phone to record some of his addresses to the protesters. Burger also quizzed Mathunjwa over his involvement in the strike. He said according to regulations at the mine, informed by representation figures, Amcu was not the appropriate union to be the negotiating union. 'Remember Amcu came at the invitation of your client. If your client (Lonmin) knew that Amcu was not the bargaining agent, why then did they invite us,' Mathunjwa responded. Burger said evidence would be led to show that Mathunjwa, during a visit to the koppie, wrongly told the protesters that Amcu was going to represent them in their fight for a R12 500 a month salary. 'All I wanted was to get the trust of the protesters,' the report quotes Mathunjwa as saying. Full report in The Citizen