Publication

This brief examines the institutional factors that contributed to the shooting of striking workers at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa. It argues that institutional arrangements – especially labor legislation – create incentives for rival unions to value violence over cooperation and are in urgent need of reform. As a step towards this, the author calls for the Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to punish illegal or violent strikes by removing an offending union’s bargaining rights. He also offers a number of other key recommendations to prevent further labor unrest and consequent mining industry decline in South Africa.