Minister confident strike will end soon

MINERAL Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi said at the weekend he had done enough work in mediating between the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union and the world's top three platinum firms, and he believed the two sides would resolve a five-month strike in talks today.

"I think reason will prevail on Monday [today] and we'll get a solution‚" he said. He had seen both sides giving ground in their demands.

However‚ he also made it clear an agreement to end the longest mining strike in South African history was not guaranteed. "We can take them to the river‚ but we can't make them drink."

Ramatlhodi said the government would pull out of mediation if the two sides did not reach an agreement.

"I'm hoping the parties can run the last stretch and take us out of the quagmire."

Amcu downed tools at Anglo American Platinum‚ Impala Platinum and Lonmin in January, demanding that their basic wages be more than doubled to R12500.

The union has so far rejected offers from the company and those proposed by a government team mediating the dispute‚ dashing hopes of an immediate end to a strike that has halted mines that normally account for 40% of global platinum output. – Reuters