Lonmin Worker’s Death Could be Related to Union Turf War

Reuters reported that on Sunday a worker was shot and killed near Lonmin plc’s (LSE:LMI) South Africa-based Marikana mine. A police spokesman commented that the incident is “isolated” and is not necessarily part of the country’s union turf war; however, union leaders are not so sure.

As quoted in the market news:

Police spokesman Thulani Ngubane said: ‘He was in his mine gear on his way to work.’

‘This is an isolated incident which does not mean the situation is volatile in the platinum belt.’

But union leaders said labour violence had got out of hand in the area, about 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Johannesburg, which produces most of the world’s platinum.

‘We have never seen such severity in the intimidation, threats and killings,’ said Frans Baleni, the general secretary of the powerful National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

Click here to read the full Reuters report.