SA mineworkers’ union threatens to strike at De Beers, Petra mines

South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has threatened to embark on industrial action at De Beers, Petra Diamonds, and Exxaro coal mines.
The threat comes after NUM and the three mining companies failed to reach a wage deal at Council for Conciliation Arbitration and Mediation (CCMA), according to Mining Weekly.
“It is going to be a big fight,” said NUM deputy general secretary Willam Mabapa.
“Food prices, fuel prices, and general inflation have skyrocketed. There is just no room for peanuts increases and for that we are prepared for war.”
The NUM said De Beers was offering an R750 wage increase, which was equivalent to 1.5% against an 8% increase across the board that the union had demanded.
The union said De Beers could pay the wage increases and other benefits as the group had recently recorded a 176% year-on-year increase in rough diamond sales.
Petra said it would only afford a 4% wage increment, while the union wanted the wages to rise by R1000.
NUM further demanded job alignment at all of Petra’s operations in South Africa.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished