JOHANNESBURG, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Lonmin ,
the world's third-largest platinum producer, on Tuesday conceded
that sacking 3,000 striking workers at its Marikana mine near
Johannesburg, South Africa, could lead to more violence.
Police last week opened fire on strikers armed with machetes
and sticks, killing 34 and raising the death toll from the
week-long dispute to 44.
"It won't help anyone if Lonmin goes out and dismisses a
whole lot of people for not coming to work today. It will set us
back significantly in terms of violence, in terms of building
trust," Mark Munroe, Lonmin executive vice-president for mining,
told a local radio station on Tuesday morning.
London-based Lonmin on Monday extended its ultimatum for
striking workers to return to duty to Tuesday morning, but
workers continued to trickle in as the deadline expired.
The company said that 30 percent of the 28,000-strong
workforce reported for work on Monday, with some shafts
reporting a 60 percent attendance.
"We are not going to go out to actively try to fire anyone,
but also there are consequences for someone who is not coming to
work," Munroe added.
Lonmin, which accounts for 12 percent of global platinum
output, was forced last week to freeze mining as a result of the
violence, but essential services such as ventilation were
maintained so the mines could quickly restart production.
The platinum producer's shares have tumbled almost 13
percent in Johannesburg in the past five days, with the price of
platinum climbing to a two-month high of $1,492.99 an ounce on
Monday.