No word on results of Amplats meeting

Reuters

File photo: Police keep watch as mineworkers take part in a march outside an Anglo American platinum mine near Rustenburg in the North West. File photo: Siphiwe Sibeko

Johannesburg - There was no word on Tuesday on the outcome of a meeting between Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and representatives of striking workers, the company said.

Spokesperson Mpumi Sithole confirmed the meeting had ended on Monday evening, but comments on the results were not yet available.

Amplats said in a statement at the weekend it had reached an agreement with unions and workers' representatives to reinstate the 12 000 employees dismissed, and that they were expected to return to work on Tuesday.

The Rustenburg strike co-ordinating committee said it was going to meet the company to discuss its salary demands.

Spokesperson Gaddafhi Mdoda said the workers would not return to their posts on Tuesday despite a proposal for them to do so.

“The strike is on. Workers have crushed the proposal to return to work,” he said.

Mdoda said workers had heard of the agreement to return to work through the media, which made it difficult for their representatives to explain the agreement to them.

“We have been in meetings with management and the unions. We cannot take any offer without consulting the workers. They have rejected the offer.”

He expressed concern that the situation could turn violent on Tuesday if some workers did report for duty.

“We have not signed that agreement. The SMS sent (by the company) to workers is complicating this issue and confusing workers. We call on workers not to be violent, but to resolve this peacefully.” - Sapa