Gold Fields protesters march

STRIKING miners at Gold Fields' KDC West mine, near Carletonville, started marching to hostels and shafts on Thursday morning to prevent non-strikers from working.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Mineworkers was hoping to meet striking workers and management at the mine.

"We will meet Gold Fields and the workers today," said NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka, after attempts failed on Wednesday.

"Yesterday was a miscommunication. We could not meet," said Seshoka.

The marchers carried sticks and iron rods as they made their way to a hostel on mine premises on Thursday morning.

Afterwards, they intended marching from KDC West to another mine hostel, and to Shafts One, Five, Eight and 10.

Some miners started the almost three kilometre walk at sunrise, while others started after 9.30am.

"We are earning peanuts," said miner Themba Zwane.

They were marching to the other shafts and hostels for unity.

"We are one," he said.

On Sunday, miners affiliated to the NUM went on strike at the gold mine.

Their demands included the removal of the NUM's branch leadership at the mine, pay equalisation, and a pay increase to R12,500.

NUM leaders were supposed to have addressed workers on Wednesday.

However, the meeting did not take place, with some workers holding up placards which read: "RIP NUM" and "Equalisation=backpay+R12,500".

While they were waiting, hoping for a meeting, mine security guards fired teargas at protesters.

Company spokesman Sven Lunsche said this was done to disperse people intimidating and threatening those trying to get to work.

On Thursday Lunsche said operations at other Gold Fields mine were fine, with no disruptions at the KDC east or Beatrix mines.

"The KDC west strike is carrying on. There is still no turnout."

However, the situation at the mine was calm and there had been no trouble overnight, or arrests.

He said the company would prefer to meet with a delegation of workers, rather than a mass meeting with workers.

The company had also sent a written response to a memorandum of demands handed to it by workers after a march on Monday.

The company's response to the demands in a nutshell was that:

-- the call to remove NUM branch leadership was a NUM issue;

-- wages and salary issues should be raised through the collective bargaining forum;

-- regarding the reinstatement of 25 suspended workers: a disciplinary hearing took place with an independent chairman and a ruling was due to come out on that;

-- Regarding the equalisation of pay across job categories at all its mines: an agreement had already been signed with the NUM that this would be rectified and the process of rectification was taking place.

Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema spoke at the mine on Tuesday and called for a national mining strike.

He said workers should down tools five days a month and that their call for an increase to R12,500 was justified.

He also said NUM leaders should step down because they were out of touch with their members.