Johannesburg - Heavy-handed intervention by state security forces in the wage dispute in the platinum industry will result in a tragic outcome, Fawu said on Thursday.
“We hope that police will hunt down and apprehend culprits involved in violence without getting uneven and heavy-handed in their approach,” Food and Allied Workers' Union general secretary Katishi Masemola said in a statement.
The security forces should remain calm because agitated intervention would not result in a “law compliant dispensation”.
The union also called on the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) to exercise leadership.
Masemola said Fawu was disturbed by developments in the platinum belt in Rustenburg, in the North West.
“We hope that there will be conclusion on the current dispute and that employers and trade unions will find a proper settlement to the dispute.”
On Wednesday, Amcu members defied Lonmin's call to return to work.
Three stationary cars were torched at Impala Platinum's Rustenburg mining operations.
The vehicles were parked on the mine's property.
Lonmin set May 14 as the date for employees to return to their posts after its sms survey indicated that more than 60 percent of workers wanted to return to work.
Amcu members at Lonmin, Anglo American Platinum, and Impala Platinum downed tools on January 23 demanding a basic salary of R12,500 per month.
They have rejected the company's offer of 10 percent that will see them earning R12,500 by 2017.
North West police said it was calm in the area on Thursday morning. - Sapa