It is a great sign to see that Anglo Platinum is going to be suing Amcu, the trade union, for losses that they have incurred.  This is a trade union that caused all the trouble which led to the Marikana disaster in the first place.  They are also costing our country millions in tax revenue every single day while ludicrously trying to get workers to strike for salaries that they must know the mines cannot afford and will never pay.  The whole country is suffering as a result and the bottom line is that Amcu, no doubt run by one or two new kids on the block, who are trying to make their own personal fortune out of the miners, need to be taken on. 

Being a leader involves being responsible, and the leadership of Amcu has not been responsible – not only in terms of the country and the interest of the country in terms of tax revenues, which would be earned by the mines if the strikes are not taking place, but in terms of members.  It cannot be in your members’ interest to take them on strike every year for salaries that are way above the average salaries in South Africa, and which you cannot possibly, with any reasonable intelligence, believe that the mines could ever afford to actually pay.  So, my criticism for Amcu would be much more to do with the fact that their members are getting shot, missing out on earning an income while the leadership is making promises that can never possibly be realised than it is to do with the fact that we as individuals will sooner or later face a VAT hike or personal income tax hike, or perhaps see the brackets stay the same, which is the same as a hike, rather than government having earned that money from big corporate companies selling the one thing that our country is blessed with - that is, resources.  The strikes are disruptive to our country, they are dangerous for the individuals concerned and ultimately they will never result in R12 500,00 a month salaries for miners.