MARIKANA, South Africa, May 14 (Reuters) – South Africa’s police minister vowed to crack down on violence against platinum miners who were trying to return to work and arrest “within hours” strikers he said were behind a campaign of intimidation. South Africa’s longest and costliest strike ever, has taken a violent turn in recent days, with four miners killed as more employees try to report for work at the world’s top platinum producers.
Earlier on Wednesday, striking members of the main Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) prevented other workers from returning to platinum producer Lonmin’s shafts, thwarting the company’s efforts to end the 16-week strike.
“In South Africa, the rule of law reigns … Anarchy is not what is going to be accepted,” minister Nathi Mthethwa told a news conference later. Anglo American Platinum and Impala Platinum have also been hit by the strike, which has brought to a halt 40 percent of global production of the precious metal used for catalytic-converters in automobiles.
Lonmin had been aiming on Wednesday for a “mass return” of workers but a spokesman said “a very low number” had showed up. The producers have said many of the strikers have signalled a willingness to accept the latest pay.
Implats’ mines around the platinum belt town of Rustenburg remain shut while it tallies the results of votes on its pay offer and assesses the security situation.
AMCU’s arch-rival the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said its members were unable to return to work because of AMCU intimidation.
The charismatic president of AMCU, Joseph Mathunjwa, urged his members to stay the course.
“Let’s stay strong. Yes it’s difficult, but let’s hold each other by the hand and stay strong. Onward!” Mathunjwa told thousands of strikers at a rally near Lonmin’s Marikana mine.
The strikers, many wielding sticks, roared their approval to Mathunjwa’s remarks at the rally held near the site where police shot dead 34 striking Lonmin miners in August 2012. That sent spot platinum to two-month highs over $1,470 an ounce.
Mathunjwa, a Salvation Army lay preacher who often evokes both God and class warfare, used typically combative language, telling the crowd that “the purpose of capital is to destroy AMCU and its members.”
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