The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) demanded a minimum wage of R17 000 a month for each worker.
President of AMCU Joseph Mathunjwa said many people viewed them as troublemakers and disrupters of the economy in the country. “If there is no exploitation, inequality they would be no protest actions.”
Mathunjwa says AMCU is ready to engage with the monopoly capital in constructive and genuine processes.
“we believe that R17 000 is the minimum wage that the workers need as a basic salary and it is a small price for the hard work and daily risks to the lives of our members.” said mathunjwa.
The president continued to say that Sibanye Stillwaters CEO Neal Froneman said he had raised almost two billion rands to fight AMCU during the platinum negotiations and they were calling on him to use that money to improve the lives of his employees who are their members.
Mathunjwa said they were not going to waste time negotiating and four meetings would be enough for the negotiations. He went on to say the state is failing to protect their members.
“They continue to do what is favorable for the monopoly capital to please foreign direct investments in the expense of the working class while they continue to be political celebrities”.
The president added that they would like to get the R17 000 at a go but it would depend on the negotiations.
Mathunjwa says they are convinced that the intentions to deregister AMCU as a trade union were politically motivated and they have delivered their written submissions to the register in Pretoria.
