Firing of strikers the right step

The Freedom Front Plus supports the decision of Anglo Platinum to fire 12 000 workers who have been on a wildcat strike the past three weeks.

South Africa has an established labour dispensation with clear stipulations as to how labour problems must be legally resolved. For the past two months this dispensation has calculatingly been challenged by the strikers.

Strong leadership is needed to prevent this illegal approach from spreading to other levels of the South African population.

The ANC leadership and the strikers have to weigh up the implications for South Africa of mines being closed down, the downgrading of South Africa's credit rating as well as a lower growth rate, against the ANC's specific interests in the run-up to the Mangaung conference. What is in the best interest of South Africa should always be given preference above specific party political interests.

Hopefully, the firing of these workers, dangerous as it is, the first step to normalisation of the South African community after two months of chaos and illegal actions.

Statement issued by Dr Pieter Mulder, Freedom Front Plus leader, October 5 2012

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