SOUTH AFRICA: Strike by 15,000 miners at the Gold Fields KDC mine enters its 11th day, as workers demand a minimum R12,500 monthly wage

Record ID: 340891

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Strike by 15,000 miners at the Gold Fields KDC mine enters its 11th day, as workers demand a minimum R12,500 monthly wage
  • Date: 21st September 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Xhosa) STRIKING MINER, VUYO MTAYI, SAYING: "The employer does not want to give us money ever since we started working at this mine. We work hard, we come from far away and we still earn 4000 rand. That is why we demand 12,500 rand. Our leadership is leading in the right way." (SOUNDBITE) (Sesotho) STRIKING MINER, MOEKETSI PELESE, SAYING: "We down tools until
  • Embargoed: 6th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Business,Economy,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2GO2FLDMH2PKXEOCWV2XKV95F
  • Story Text: Thousands of striking mineworkers gathered at Gold Fields' KDC west mine on Thursday (September 20) waiting to be addressed by Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) representatives.
    Miners representatives say the matter has been taken to the Chamber of Mines, as the NUM failed to resolve the issue.
    "The 12,500 rand issue is now being discussed at a national level. The NUM has not been able to solve if for now. They will go back to the chamber of mines, it's a national problem," said strike leader, Bandile Memela.
    The 15,000 miners are striking illegally at the KDC West operation of Gold Fields, the world's fourth largest bullion producer.
    They demand a R12,500 monthly salary like that won by Lonmin miners at Marikana.
    "The employer does not want to give us money ever since we started working at this mine. We work hard, we come from far away and we still earn 4000 rand. That is why we demand 12,500 rand. Our leadership is leading in the right way," said striking miner, Vuyo Mtayi.
    Goldfields representatives say they are not willing to consider South African strikers' demands for a minimum wage of 12,500 rand ($1,500) a month.
    "We down tools until they listen to our demands," said another miner, Moeketsi Pelese.
    Economists said Lonmin may have set a precedent for wage settlements that could spread through an economy already saddled with globally uncompetitive costs.
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