AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa
The struggle for a living wage in the mining sector is just beginning, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) said on Tuesday.
"The struggle is just beginning to transform the sector. They said you have been on strike for eight weeks. That is nothing, the struggle started at the Union Buildings on March 6," union president Joseph Mathunjwa told workers.
He said the building occupied by Anglo American in Johannesburg was built though the blood of mineworkers.
"The foundations of this building were built though the blood and sweat of our forefathers," he said to the applause of the crowd.
The union was handing over a memorandum demanding that Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) agree to its R12 500 entry level pay demand.
"The CEO of Anglo earned R17.6-million... in 2012, yet Anglo cannot pay a worker R12 500."
He said that was 326 times more than workers were being paid.
He challenged the CEO to spend a week sleeping in a hostel to experience the harsh conditions mineworkers were subjected to.