Pretoria: A task force will be set up to look into labour issues in the platinum industry after 34 people were killed near the Lonmin mine in Marikana, said Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu.

The force will consist of people from industry, unions, government and traditional leaderships, she said.

Shabangu together with the Minister of Labour, Mildred Olifant on Saturday met with the Chamber of Mines, Business and Organised Labour in Johannesburg to discuss and agree on an action plan to address the violence at the Lonmin Marikana mine in the past few days and share practices applied by other mining companies.

Management of Lonmin, the Chamber of Mines and other mining executives gave an account of what challenges they face relating to engaging with labour organisations and employees generally. Both ministers then met with Organised Labour to get their account and what they perceive as the source of the conflicts.

Olifant reminded all parties of the legal process of labour organisations and how they need to operate and as required by the law.

Shabangu also put to all stakeholders the need to agree on how the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) will be engaged going forward as long as their operations are within the confines of the law.

Minister Shabangu reiterated the need for all role players to uphold the spirit of tripartism as the image of the country’s mining industry is being tarnished after the sector working with government had gone out to the world saying that the South African mining sector is indeed open for business encouraging investors to invest in the sector.