Amcu’s Mathunjwa: I did not steal

President of South Africa's Association of Mine workers and Construction Union (AMCU) Joseph Mathunjwa (C) sings before addressing the Lonmin strikers at the Wonderkop stadium in Nkaneng township outside the Lonmin mine in Rustenburg May 14, 2014. The president urged its members to remain united and strong in the face of efforts by the three major platinum companies to force miners to end a 16-week stoppage.

President of South Africa's Association of Mine workers and Construction Union (AMCU) Joseph Mathunjwa (C) sings before addressing the Lonmin strikers at the Wonderkop stadium in Nkaneng township outside the Lonmin mine in Rustenburg May 14, 2014. The president urged its members to remain united and strong in the face of efforts by the three major platinum companies to force miners to end a 16-week stoppage.

Published May 19, 2014

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Johannesburg - Association of Mineworkrs and Construction Union (Amcu) leader Joseph Mathunjwa says he worked hard to leave his poverty-stricken background and did not steal anything from anyone.

“Mathunjwa is working. Did I steal to anyone (sic)?” he asked in the third person on The New Age breakfast briefing on Monday.

“Mathunjwa comes from a background of poverty and now it's a sin to have one, two, and three without stealing anything.”

He questioned why he was brought onto the show, and if it was because of the lifestyle he led.

“If this breakfast show is about my personal life, please arrange another show so I can speak on my personal life.”

The briefing was about the mining industry and the almost four-month-old strike in the platinum sector.

Mathunjwa was reacting to a report in The Star that he was “living in the lap of luxury”.

The newspaper reported that he had three BMW's registered in his name, a three-series sedan he acquired in 2002, an X5 automatic, and a three-series he had had since last July.

The newspaper put the estimated total value of the vehicles at R900,000.

It claimed he also had three houses listed under his name.

One of the properties was a four-star guest house.

The union gained prominence when National Union of Mineworkers members started jumping ship in favour of Amcu and its push for a minimum salary of R12,500 for miners in the platinum belt. - Sapa

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