Zuma missed a big opportunity - Amcu

Amcu chief Joseph Mathunjwa says President Jacob Zuma (pictured) wasted an opportunity to ease the labour unrest in the mining sector. File photo: Leon Nicholas

Amcu chief Joseph Mathunjwa says President Jacob Zuma (pictured) wasted an opportunity to ease the labour unrest in the mining sector. File photo: Leon Nicholas

Published May 31, 2013

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Johannesburg - Association of Mining and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa believes the government can only blame itself for the labour troubles and erosion in investor confidence in the mining sector, Business Day newspaper reported on Friday.

Mathunjwa said that following the shootings at Marikana in August last year, when 34 miners were killed, Amcu had written to President Jacob Zuma requesting a mining indaba, the newspaper reported.

“They (the government) didn't respond. He (Zuma) missed a precious opportunity because he looked at the colour of the T-shirt that made the call and forgot to look at the nation,” the Amcu president told the newspaper.

“If he had, he wouldn't be panicking like this today.”

Added to this, recent statements by several Cabinet ministers attacking Amcu and siding with the rival National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) had not helped create a favourable environment for talks.

Mathunjwa said Amcu would finalise its wage demands for the platinum and gold sectors by Saturday. - Sapa

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