By Ed Stoddard
JOHANNESBURG Aug 26 (Reuters) – World no. 3 platinum producer Lonmin is racing to resume ore extraction at its Marikana site, with no guarantee striking workers will return this week after a mourning period for comrades killed in a wave of labour unrest.
Lonmin’s South African operations have been paralysed since an illegal strike involving 3,000 rock driller operators started two weeks ago and exploded into violent clashes that killed 44 people, including 34 striking workers gunned down by police.
Lonmin accounts for about 12 percent of global platinum output and the freezing of its mining operations has driven the price of the metal up by around 10 percent.
The company said more than half of its 28,000-strong workforce showed up for shifts on Saturday – more than last week but far short of the numbers needed to start pulling ore from the earth.
“Mining operations will only resume once we have sufficient workers in attendance and the necessary safety procedures have been undertaken,” Lonmin said on Friday.
It was not clear when they would get those numbers. Some workers have signaled the “martyrdom” of their colleagues raised the stakes and it would be a betrayal if miners returned unless they won the wage increases that they have demanded.
The striking workers have been demanding a monthly wage of 12,500 rand ($1,500). The company says they get about 9,800 rand with an average monthly bonus of 1,500 rand.
The government said at the weekend the world’s largest platinum producers were discussing a move to collective bargaining.
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