What is (has been) the role of Unions in the mining industry in South Africa?

Abstract

The mining sector has long history of worker exploitation of local and migrant workers Few companies dominates the sector (too much power over workers) Historically mine-profits were based on exploitation of illiterate mineworkers Hence the need of workers to organise for better conditions in the sector was inevitable It should be noted that black mineworkers were not allowed to form trade unions between the periods of 1946 to 1982