Amplats workers to continue strike

Striking workers‚ many of whom had already been fired‚ met on Wednesday after an altercation with mine security and police on Tuesday‚ in which one worker was injured and 13 arrested.

Member of the strike committee George Tyobeka called for "serious intervention" from mine management to end the "repression" against striking workers.

"Only management can resolve this... We want our demands met‚" he said.

Another strike committee member‚ Jacob Khoza‚ said workers wanted to negotiate with the company on their demands‚ but management were talking only to the recognised unions -- who the striking workers have largely rejected.

The committee met in a park in Rustenburg on Wednesday‚ fearing a security crackdown at the mine.

Leader of the Democratic Socialist Movement Mametlwe Sebei‚ which is supporting mineworkers in their action‚ in a media briefing on Wednesday said Amplats workers were "resolute" and "firm" in their demand of R16‚000. He expressed concern about the police and mine security action during the unprotected action.

"Police have abandoned all pretensions of legality... Meetings can't take place because of this but workers are gathering in defiance‚" he said.

The DSM‚ along with strike committee leaders from across the country‚ met to discuss a march to the Union Buildings on Saturday in a bid to persuade government to intervene and compel mine bosses to accede to workers' demands.

But the group alleges that it was denied a permit to hold the march on Saturday‚ with authorities telling them that there would be no one on site to receive their memorandum of demands.

"Government has imposed a state of emergency in Rustenburg‚ its clear now that they are trying to take that to other parts of the country‚ including Tshwane‚" said Sebei.

The protected march has been moved to November 10‚ said strike committee chairman from Limpopo Elias.

On Tuesday a substation was set alight at Amplats' Khusaleka mine‚ 13 protesters were arrested and an attempted murder charge was laid against a mine security guard after a protester was shot and injured.

The 13 were likely to appear in court on Thursday.