Second call for nationalisation of South Africa's mines

South Africa's powerful trade union federation said it supports a call by the ruling ANC's youth wing for the country's mines to be nationalised.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - 

South Africa's powerful trade union federation COSATU said on Friday it wants the government to consider nationalisation of mines in the world's largest producer of platinum.

COSATU, which has nearly 2 million paid-up members in the country of around 47 million people, said in a statement it supports a call by the ruling African National Congress' youth wing for the country's mines to be nationalised.

It said its call would back up the nation's Freedom Charter, and was in line with its own resolution declared in 2006, which called for "more equitable ownership, especially collective ownership through the state... of mining and other commanding heights of the economy as provided in the Freedom Charter".

The charter calls for equal rights and equal share of wealth with the country's white population.

(Reporting by James Macharia)

© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

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