Lonmin miners return to work but unrest spreads
- 12 years ago
Thousands of miners at Lonmin's Marikana mine return to work after a bloody six-week wage dispute.
The workers ended their strike after agreeing to a pay increase that varied between 11 and 22 percent.
Miners said they were happy to return to their jobs.
(SOUNDBITE) (Xhosa) MINER RETURNING TO WORK, NQUKWE SABULELO:
"I feel very happy that I can go back to work now. I'm going to live well now."
But while the strike may be over at the mine in Marikana, the unrest has spread.
This mine in Rustenburg belongs to Anglo American Platinum, the world's biggest platinum producer.
The company on Thursday threatened legal action if its striking miners didn't go back to work.
This after police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a crowd of men carrying traditional weapons in a squatter camp near the mine.
The gold sector also has not been spared, with 15,000 miners on strike at the KDC West operation of Gold Fields.
The workers ended their strike after agreeing to a pay increase that varied between 11 and 22 percent.
Miners said they were happy to return to their jobs.
(SOUNDBITE) (Xhosa) MINER RETURNING TO WORK, NQUKWE SABULELO:
"I feel very happy that I can go back to work now. I'm going to live well now."
But while the strike may be over at the mine in Marikana, the unrest has spread.
This mine in Rustenburg belongs to Anglo American Platinum, the world's biggest platinum producer.
The company on Thursday threatened legal action if its striking miners didn't go back to work.
This after police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a crowd of men carrying traditional weapons in a squatter camp near the mine.
The gold sector also has not been spared, with 15,000 miners on strike at the KDC West operation of Gold Fields.