VENTURE AFRICA – South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday warned workers in the mining sector that police will not tolerate those committing crime during strikes.

South Africa’s mining sector has seen violent strikes in the past 18 months as workers downed tools for a number of reasons including wage hikes.

These strikes have seen the rand slide against a basket of global currencies, threatening to send Africa’s biggest economy into a tail spin.

“Our law enforcement agencies have been instructed not to tolerate those who commit crime in the name of labour relations. They will face the full might of the law,” he said in a speech to parliament.

Government would not take any sides in the battle for support between the militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), a long-standing ally of the ruling ANC.

“Government does not take sides and does not favour any labour union over others in the mining industry. Our interest is in finding solutions,” Zuma said.

This was the first time that Zuma has come out so strongly against violence that often occurs during mine workers strikes.

Analysts have always criticised him for leaving mining companies and striking workers to sort out their problems without the government getting into the mix.