EDITORIAL: Court ruling on Amcu welcome
The union has a track record of violence
The labour court’s decision on Friday to prevent the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) from extending its nearly four-month strike at Sibanye-Stillwater to other companies in the mining industry should be welcomed. The strike has been mired with violence and intimidation, with nine people dead so far and more than 60 houses burnt down in Carletonville. It’s a sad reflection that it has taken this level of violence and three months before mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe showed up in the gold mining town to pacify parties and push for a settlement. But then his loyalties lie with Amcu’s arch-enemy, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). Judge Connie Prinsloo, in her ruling on Friday, had no kind words for Amcu, highlighting the union’s track record of violence and intimidation during strikes. The union came to the fore during the platinum strikes of 2012, particularly at Marikana, where the killing of 34 strikers by police — in the presence of the me...
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