Team established to resolve Platinum strike
An intergovernmental technical team has been established to resolve the strike in the platinum mining sector, newly appointed Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi announced on Wednesday.
"The mandate of the technical team is to broaden the approach and explore all possibilities for a resolution to the problem," he said in a statement.
The technical team would meet at an undisclosed location on Thursday.
"They will interrogate all the information (including the figures) provided by both parties, and report back by the end of the day on what is possible."
The team was made up of officials from the departments of mineral resources, labour and the National Treasury, who would be supported by representatives
from the mining companies and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).
Amcu members at Lonmin, Impala Platinum, and Anglo American Platinum downed tools on January 23, demanding a basic monthly salary of R12,500.
They rejected an offer by the companies that would bring their pay to R12,500 by 2017.
Labour Court-facilitated talks aimed at resolving the more than four-month-old wage strike were held in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Ramatlhodi said the teams was established after he met chief executives of Lonmin, Implats and Amplats and the Chamber of Mines on Wednesday. He also met union representatives.
- Sapa