The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which dominated organised labour across South Africa’s platinum belt until the massacre at Lonmin’s Marikana mine in 2012, is plotting a comeback. By the end of this year, the union wants to represent 30% of the more than 167 000 workers at the world’s four biggest platinum producers, said NUM President Joseph Montisetse. It currently represents 18% of Impala Platinum’s workforce and 11% at Lonmin. He didn’t give figures for Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) or Sibanye-Stillwater, which is taking over Lonmin.
