One injured, two arrested at Amplats: Amcu

An Amcu member was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet and two others were arrested at Anglo American Platinum's (Amplats) Tumela mine near Thabazimbi in Limpopo, the union said on Wednesday.

   

"Workers were holding a mass meeting [on Tuesday] when the police hurled teargas at them. Two members were arrested and one was injured when police shot him in the eye with a rubber bullet," an Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union leader Evans Ramokga said.

   

Limpopo police spokeswoman Colonel Ronel Otto said four people were arrested for public violence on Tuesday.

  

"We are investigating the allegation about the rubber bullets," she said.

   

Ramokga told Amcu members at Amplats' Khuseleka shaft one at Rustenburg, progress had been made in a meeting the union had with management to resolve the strike.

   

"There is progress to meet our demands... most of the issues have been resolved. It is only three to four issues that are outstanding."

   

He told workers another meeting with Amplats was scheduled for Thursday.

   

Amcu wanted the company to provide voluntary separation packages for older miners near retirement age and spare the jobs of younger workers.

   

Amcu members downed tools on Friday protesting against the retrenchment of 3300 workers. Amplats announced in January that 14,000 jobs would be cut as part of its restructuring process.

   

On Friday, it said retrenchment avoidance measures, like redeployment into vacancies across the group, voluntary severance, and early retirements had resulted in a reduction of the number of employees to be retrenched to 3300.

   

Amcu members went on strike on the same day in protest, complaining about the retrenchment process.

   

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which also questioned the retrenchment process, opted for court action instead of a strike.

   

Judgment in the NUM's application in the Labour Court in Johannesburg was reserved on Tuesday. Amplats has said it followed correct procedures.

   

The striking workers dispersed after brief meetings at theirvarious workplaces on Wednesday and were expected to meet again on Thursday morning.

   

-Sapa