 Platinum producer Lonmin on Monday said it could not guarantee the safety of employees at its mine, following violent clashes that left three people dead.
About 3000 rock drill operators went on an illegal strike on Friday, but the situation quickly spiraled into fighting between rival unions at the Johannesburg mine.
Officials from Lonmin said the clashes were between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the upstart union Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).
Since Friday, three people have been killed and four cars set alight. Two security guards were killed during clashes while another employee was hacked to death, said police.
Lonmin Executive Vice President Barnard Mokwena said management met with NUM on Sunday, to discuss the fighting.
He said the mine was trying to organise a meeting with leaders from AMCU.
Lonmin management is due to meet with the Gauteng Police Commissioner on Monday, he added.
The Western Platinum operation is still open for business, but is working at a reduced capacity because many workers have been absent.
Police are at the mine.
The turf war between rival unions forced the closure of an Impala Platinum mine for six weeks earlier this year.
iafrica.com
Photo: AFP
|