The Congress of South African Trade Unions met today, 21 January 2013, with the National Union of Mineworkers, and pledged to fight with all the power at its disposal to prevent Anglo Platinum from retrenching over 14 000 workers from its mines in South Africa. We shall fight for every job and will mobilise all our members to take action to save this crucial sector of our economy.

The company’s callous disregard for the human and economic consequences of such a loss of jobs and the devastating impact on the economy is typical of the ruthless, amoral way in which big business operates, with concern only for their profits and none for the workers whose hard, dangerous and unhealthy work has created those profits.

COSATU welcomes the strong statements by the ANC, Minister Shabangu, the SACP, Churches and others, but urges them to recognise that it is the workers’ representative unions which have the sole right to represent and negotiate for the workers and must spearhead the fight.