Miners attack NUM's official

2009-09-04 19:38

Johannesburg - Union representatives on Friday condemned criminal elements at Impala Platinum's Rustenburg mine after National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) deputy president Piet Matosa was attacked.

General secretary Frans Baleni said the union was deeply saddened by the violent incident at the mine on Thursday after a meeting between NUM leadership and workers.

"The NUM regrets and condemns this behaviour in which Piet Matosa was assaulted and injured," Baleni said in a statement.

Matosa was recuperating in hospital.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) also "deplores the vicious attack" on Matosa.

Cosatu national spokesperson Patrick Craven said the incident left Matosa seriously injured.

"He has lost one eye and has undergone an operation on his nose."

Elements

Craven said the meeting was convened so that the leadership could consult the union's members over a 10.5% wage settlement which the NUM had negotiated with the employer.

Baleni said NUM had opened a criminal case and the union hoped the criminal elements behind the incident would be uncovered and brought to book.

Impala Platinum spokesperson Bob Gilmour said on Friday that Matosa was attacked after a group of NUM officials tried to persuade those miners still on strike to return to work.

He confirmed that Matosa had been hit in the face by a stone and had been taken to hospital.

Gilmour said Impala Platinum's Rustenburg mine was still not operating as not all miners had returned to work.

The Marula operations, however, were functioning normally.

- SAPA