Business & Human Rights Resource Centre writes :

« Mohahu [Daniel Maseko], senior union official was shot dead [on the 17th of November, 2017] outside an Impala Platinum (Implats) mine in South Africa’s Rustenburg area, the focus of a surge of violence that has unnerved investors. The branch treasurer with the powerful Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) was “gunned down in cold blood” as he left the mine, 100 km west of Johannesburg, to get food, his organisation said in a statement.

It did not give details on any motives for the attack, which was confirmed by Implats. Labour and social strife in South Africa’s platinum belt, the source of more than 70% of known reserves of the precious metal, has piled pressure on an industry already hit by depressed prices. Rustenburg has seen periodic spasms of labour violence including shootings since Amcu dislodged the once dominant National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) as the main union in the sector five years ago.

A month ago, a branch leader at Lonmin allegedly had an attempt on his life as well. Another Amcu member at Lonmin, who had been dismissed but was appealing the decision, was shot dead shortly after. »