* Lonmim management, workers press on with wage talks
* No. 1 platinum producer Amplats silent on Rustenburg ops
* Activist says most Amplats workers there still off the job
By Agnieszka Flak
JOHANNESBURG, Sept 18 (Reuters) – Striking South African
miners at platinum group Lonmin cut wage demands in their
six-week stoppage, while the top world producer of the precious
metal, Amplats, was silent on Tuesday on whether it had been
able to resume operations suspended in the unrest.
The government, mediators and mining companies have
intensified efforts to resolve the mining sector troubles which
have hit the rand currency, raised insurance against default on
South African debt and spooked some foreign investors into
selling shares in mining companies.
Strikers at Lonmin’s Marikana mine 100 km
(60 miles) northwest of Johannesburg scaled back their basic
demand to under 11,000 rand ($1,300) a month, still way above
the latest offer from the world’s No. 3 platinum producer.
The company, which is offering increases of between 9 and 21
percent, has said 12,500 rand would put thousands of jobs at
risk and challenge the viability of the business.
A Lonmin official said talks between the various parties had
resumed at mid-day on Tuesday after an overnight session.
Continued…
