SAfrica communists condemn mining job cut threats

By Michael Georgy

JOHANNESBURG, March 2 (Reuters) - The South African Communist Party (SACP), a partner in the governing alliance, said on Sunday it would not tolerate threats by mining companies to cut jobs in the country's politically-charged power crisis.

"If heads must roll we cannot allow it be the workers who take the knock," it said in a statement after its central committee met over the weekend.

The mining industry, a big foreign exchange earner and employer, ground to a halt for five days in January as blackouts intensified and millions of homes were left without power.

Gold Fields (GFIJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's fourth-largest gold miner, warned last week of potentially 6,900 job cuts as it scales back production at lower grade mines because of power rations.

On Friday, Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin sought to ease the concerns of unions who have threatened street protests if jobs are lost as a result of the power crunch.

South Africa's main labour federation COSATU, which is also an ally of the ruling ANC, has threatened to strike if any workers in the country lose their jobs due to the crisis that it blamed on government negligence.

The SACP said it would engage in a period of mass activism in the coming months and would "fully support COSATU struggles in defence of jobs."

Shortages have increased foreign investors' worries over South Africa, stirred anger at the failure of President Thabo Mbeki's government to prevent blackouts and raised questions over the country's ability to host the 2010 soccer World Cup.