Mixed reports from South Africa today suggested that Lonmin and striking workers at its Marikana platinum mine still have a long way to go despite the miners lowering their wage demands.
Talks that went on until 3am were due to resume this afternoon. Lonmin also started distributing pamphlets to workers around the mine offering them a one-off payment of 1500 rand (£112) if they return to work tomorrow. But many workers burned the pamphlets as they were handed out by security staff.
The six-week-long strike has cost Lonmin millions in lost revenues, and yesterday it said it would not go ahead with opening a fourth shaft that would have employed 1200 extra workers. The unrest has seen 45 people killed in violence around the mine and spread to other mines in South Africa.
Overnight the miners involved in negotiations lowered their pay demand to slightly less than 11,000 rand a month from their original 12,500. Lonmin’s last public offer was 5,500 rand a month.
“The demands came down to below 11,000 rand,” Bishop Jo Seoka, who has been mediating in the talks between Lonmin and workers, said. “I’m very confident that something is going to happen today.”
Anglo American Platinum said some of its workers had returned to work today after it restarted operations following a week-long closure sparked by violence.
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