* Death toll from inter-union violence rises to three
* Platinum sector under siege from union militancy
* AMCU says in emergency meeting with Lonmin management
By Ed Stoddard
JOHANNESBURG, Aug 13 (Reuters) – A worker was killed on
Monday in renewed violence between rival unions at a South
African mine operated by world number three platinum producer
Lonmin , the head of the National Union of
Mineworkers (NUM) said.
“Early this morning one of our members was attempting to
report to duty and he was killed. He was hacked to death,” NUM
General Secretary Frans Baleni told Reuters. “Our members are
under attack.”
The killing follows the murder of two security guards on
Sunday by an enraged mob that attacked a facility at Lonmin’s
Western Platinum operation.
The violence is part of a turf war between the NUM, which
has long been the labour giant in South African mining, and the
upstart Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union
(AMCU).
The latest flare-up began on Friday with an illegal strike
by 3,000 rock drill operators at Lonmin’s Western Platinum mine,
100 km (60 miles) northwest of Johannesburg, mirroring previous
incidents when AMCU has tried to recruit NUM members.
Continued…
