By Laurence Norman
BRUSSELS--Investors should take comfort in South Africa's swift
response to the strikes and violence at the country's mines, South
African President Jacob Zuma said Tuesday.
"I believe that the manner in which we have swiftly attended to
the situation--and we are now in full control--that must give
comfort to investors," he said in a press conference after a
meeting with the European Union's top officials.
Mr. Zuma's comments come as some of the country's biggest
platinum and gold producers are battling to end strikes that have
spread across the sector, cut platinum and gold production and led
to closures at some mines.
The unrest started on Aug. 10 when 3,000 rock drillers at Lonmin
PLC's (LMI.LN) Marikana mine went on strike. Violent clashes
between workers and police have left 45 people dead.
Mr. Zuma also said he hoped for a "multilateral solution" to the
dispute over the EU's plans to include aviation in its carbon
emissions scheme. Under the plan, foreign airlines will have to buy
emission allowances to offset their carbon footprint.
The South African president said he was "mindful of the
unintended consequences" of the plans on the EU's relations with
other countries.
Meanwhile, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso
said he was confident the EU will conclude a trade partnership
accord with the southern African region, including South Africa,
but declined to say when this may happen.
EU officials say the South African government's concerns are the
main block to concluding the deal.
--Devon Maylie in Johannesburg contributed to this article.
Write to Laurence Norman at Laurence.norman@dowjones.com