JOHANNESBURG – Labour Union AMCU warned on Tuesday that as former mining mogul, Cyril Ramaphosa could favour mining bosses’ agenda of restructuring to revive profits and unleash a renewed jobs bloodbath. AMCU slammed Ramaphosa’s election as ANC President, saying this ‘New Deal’ economic policies will lead to austerity measures and infringe on workers’ rights.
The union, which rose to prominence in the wake of the killings of miners in Marikana, called the former Lonmin executive director’s election “a threat to radical economic and social transformation as initiated by the workers in Marikana at Lonmin in 2012, who were massacred for demanding a living wage of R12 500.”
A series of emails showed that he had called on the police in August 2012 to take “concomitant action” against the unlawful strike. Ramaphosa was cleared of any wrongdoing related to Marikana by the Farlam Commission.
The majority union of the platinum belt said that the rand strengthening by 4% on Monday, was prove that Ramaphosa is backed by big business. “The reaction of the markets demonstrates how big capital, domestic and foreign, perceive the new leader of the ANC as the gatekeeper to their interests. This is reinforced by his reformist R20 an hour National Minimum Wage when workers are pushing for a living wage.”
Labour and mining analyst at Creative Voodoo Consulting, Mamokgethi Molopyane said the new ANC president’s first test is the Mining Charter III which the chamber of mines will challenge in court in February.
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