Northam calm following rival unions clash
No incidents of violence were reported over night following a clash between rival unions in Northam in recent days, Limpopo police said on Tuesday.
"No further incidents of violence since yesterday [Monday] after they were dispersed. Currently still quiet and calm. We are however still patrolling and maintaining our presence," said police spokesperson Colonel Ronel Otto.
She said no arrests had been made following violence which left at least two people dead.
Police fired rubber bullets to defuse a clash between members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Monday.
The clash was believed to have been triggered by the killing of a NUM member in Northam on Sunday. The 45-year-old man, was shot three times and died at the scene.
PHOTOS: Chaos as NUM and Amcu clash at Northam
By Monday morning another mineworker was stabbed to death and two cars torched.
Operations at Northam Platinum's Zondereinde mine were suspended following the violence.
Talks between mine management, the NUM and Amcu were scheduled to continue on Tuesday.
The NUM is the majority union at Zondereinde mine, the only platinum mine under its control, while Amcu has a majority at the Anglo American Platinum mine opposite the road.
Amcu toppled NUM as the dominant union in the platinum belt in 2012, following violent wildcat strikes at Lonmin in Marikana, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum in Rustenburg, North West and Northam in Limpopo.
Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa had appealed to workers to act with restraint and not to take the law in their hands.
"It is regrettable that despite the fact that this situation started over the weekend with the stopping of the night shift, management has failed to arrest the situation to ensure safety of all other employees and also ensure stability in the workplace. As of now the real cause of such senseless killings is unknown and we believe that it should be left to the law enforcement agents to bring the culprits to book," Mathunjwa said.
"We condemn this violence and killing of our members or any workers for that matter. The lives of workers should be sacrosanct.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and comrades of the dead miners. We call on all workers to act with restraint and not take law into their own hands," he said. - ANA