Workers will decide: Mathunjwa
Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) members will themselves decide when the strike will end, union president Joseph Mathunjwa said on Thursday.
"The members will decide about the strike," he told reporters at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, pointing to hundreds of his union's members.
The marchers braved wet weather to hand over a petition raising their unhappiness about how government departments and platinum mining companies have handled their strike.
They were led by Mathunjwa, treasurer Jimmy Gama, and secretary Jeff Mphahlele.
Marchers followed a route along Struben, Steve Biko and Madiba streets, under heavy police guard. A police helicopter circled the sky above.
Amcu members at Lonmin Platinum, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum downed tools on January 23, demanding a minimum pay of R12,500 a month.
Talks to resolve the strike via the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, have stalled.
The mining companies have offered staggered increases of seven to nine percent over the next three years.
On Tuesday, Amcu said it had revised its demand and that the R12,500 minimum monthly salary could now be achieved over three years.
"We are not exactly reducing our demand. Our move is meant to give the employers a breather," Mathunjwa told reporters in Johannesburg.
However, the companies rejected Amcu's revised demand.
The platinum producers' CEOs said the revised Amcu demand was not affordable.
On Thursday, Mathunjwa said Amcu had hired buses to transport members to the Pretoria march from the Free State, Limpopo, and Rustenburg in North West.
- Sapa