Workers given ultimatum after mine massacre

Platinum producer Lonmin yesterday ordered workers at its South African mine where police killed 34 people to return to work or risk dismissal — but workers vowed to stay on strike.

The London-listed firm issued a final ultimatum to staff to end their wildcat stayaway three days after the country’s worst police violence since the end of apartheid at its Marikana mine.

“The final ultimatum provides RDOs [rock drill operators] with a last opportunity to return to work or face possible dismissal,” the company said.

“Employees could therefore be dismissed if they fail to heed the final ultimatum.”

But workers at the mine in the north west province of South Africa said they will press on with wage demands and slammed a return to work as “an insult” to their colleagues who were gunned down after police failed to disperse strikers on Thursday.

“Expecting us to go back is like an insult. Many of our friends and colleagues are dead, then they expect us to resume work. Never,” worker Zachariah Mbewu said, adding that no one would return as long as they were still in mourning.

Julius Malema, the fiery former ruling party youth leader, fanned workers’ anger with a speech on Saturday attacking Jacob Zuma, the president whom he wants voted out in the African National Congress’s year-end party elections.

He told a crowd: “President Zuma decided over the massacre of our people — he must step down.”

The scene of Thursday’s bloodshed was deserted yesterday and police maintained a low profile at the hostel where workers were going about their daily chores.

Workers say they are waiting to hear from mine bosses whose ultimatum yesterday was an extension of a previous order to return.