South African union leader to striking miners: "tell us which way to go"

Reuters
President of South Africa's Association of Mine workers and Construction Union (AMCU) Joseph Mathunjwa (C) sings before addressing the Lonmin strikers at the Wonderkop stadium in Nkaneng township outside the Lonmin mine in Rustenburg May 14, 2014. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African AMCU union leader Joseph Mathunjwa took a wage offer from the world's top three platinum producers to striking miners on Thursday but gave no clear recommendation on how to respond. "It is your right to say no then say no. Say where you want things to change," Mathunjwa told the crowd of thousands of mine workers. "That's why we brought it to you, this is your time, talk and tell us which way u want us to go," he added. Around 70,000 miners have been on strike for five months at mines owned by Lonmin, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum, demanding higher wages.