Amcu jeopardised relations - lawyer

2012-11-30 21:08

(Beeld)

Johannesburg - The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union jeopardised the relations between mineworkers and the Lonmin mine in Marikana, the Farlam commission of inquiry, sitting in Rustenburg, heard on Friday.

SABC news reported that Lonmin insisted that it remained consistent in its approach when about 3 000 mineworkers embarked on an unprotected strike in August.

Earlier, Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa testified that after protesters agreed in principle to disarm and return to work on 15 August, management refused to engage them, the broadcaster reported.

Lonmin legal representative advocate, Schalk Burger SC, disagreed with Mathunjwa while cross-examining him.

"I put to you that when you told the commission that you told the workers on that occasion that they must disperse and return to work - that's false," Burger said.

However, Mathunjwa responded: "It is not correct what you are saying."

Burger said the company maintained that they would only engage if they agreed to "lay down their weapons" and return to work.

On 16 August police shot dead 34 striking miners near the mine in Marikana while trying to disperse them.

- SAPA