Mining: Talks go on at undisclosed venue

Labour Court-facilitated talks aimed at resolving the four-month wage strike at platinum mines continued at an undisclosed location in Johannesburg yesterday, Charmane Russell, a spokeswoman for the producers, confirmed. The Labour Court is mediating between the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and employers Lonmin, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum. The union went to court to stop the producers sending text messages to union members about their wage offers. Instead of the court hearing the case last Tuesday, the parties met behind closed doors in talks presided over by Judge Hilary Rabkin-Naicker, but no agreement had been reached by Friday. Amcu members downed tools on January 23, demanding a basic monthly salary of R12 500. They rejected an offer that would bring cash remuneration to R12 500 by July 2017. – Sapa