The Citizen reports that despite being the only union to pull out of the gold mining wage talks with the Minerals Council SA (MCSA), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is hopeful about eventually reaching “an amicable agreement” with the MCSA.  

The MCSA (previously called the Chamber of Mines) represents four gold producers in centralised talks.  NUM spokesperson Luvhuwani Mammburu described the talks as “tough”, but added “we hope to reach an amicable solution through the CCMA facilitation.”  The NUM this week declared a dispute with the MCSA and referred the wage deadlock to the CCMA for facilitation – leaving the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), Solidarity and the United Association of South Africa (UASA) at the negotiating table.  The three unions on Wednesday continued discussions with gold producers AngloGold Ashanti, Harmony Gold, Sibanye-Stillwater and Village Main Reef, without a tangible outcome being reached.  Chief negotiator for the gold producers, Motsamai Motlhamme, said parties “engaged in bilateral meetings with each union to discuss the process going forward following which the parties reconvened in a plenary session”.

• Read this report by Brian Sokutu in full at The Citizen

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page