Platinum wage strike: update

Johannesburg 5 May 2014 - Anglo American Platinum Limited (Amplats), Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) and Lonmin Plc (Lonmin) advise that, regrettably, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has informed the companies of the union's decision to continue with the strike which is now in its 15th week.

The companies were advised of this decision by AMCU leadership at a meeting this afternoon. AMCU's decision is disappointing as the companies' efforts to develop a new offer that is affordable and sustainable was designed to come as close as possible to meeting the union's demand. The companies note that AMCU has also made no effort to suggest a solution to a strike which, as is well documented, is causing deep and adverse impacts on employees, their communities and the local Rustenburg economy as a whole.

The companies will continue their direct approaches to employees:

• Lonmin has asked employees to indicate their intention to accept the settlement offer by SMS by 8 May 2014. A provisional return to work date of 14 May 2014 has been planned, and would be dependent on the responses received.
• Implats continues to communicate with employees to gauge their response to the offer, and will advise progress in due course.
• Amplats has made the offer available to its employees and has already seen a commencement in the uptake thereof.
• None of the companies have set final acceptance dates; nor have they presented ultimatums to employees.

Regrettably, the companies have received feedback from a large number of employees that while they would prefer to accept the offer and return to work, many are fearful of doing so due to the threats to their personal safety. The respective company security teams have documented dozens of incidents of threats of personal harm by faceless individuals, or by strike leaders from AMCU meeting platforms, aimed at groups or individuals who are at work, or who might be contemplating a return to work. There have been numerous assaults perpetrated on employees at work or on their way to or from work. While criminal cases have been opened, unfortunately there have been only a limited number of arrests.

The companies call on AMCU leadership to take responsibility for discouraging, threatening or other criminal behaviour directed either against their own members or against management staff seeking to persuade their members to return to work.

To date, the strike has cost employees some R7.3 billion in lost income and the producers around R16.4 billion in lost revenue.

Statement issued by Charmane Russell on behalf of the Platinum Producers, May 5 2014

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