A CAO Compliance Investigation Report (dated June 2023) reveals that Lonmin has persistently underperformed in delivering on its legally binding Social and Labor Plan commitments and has demonstrated significant lapses in environmental management. The report highlights failures in housing construction, inadequate efforts in improving women’s participation in mining, poor community engagement resulting in deteriorated living conditions in surrounding informal settlements, and notable environmental impacts including air and water pollution. These failures have not only jeopardized the company’s operational license but also inflicted socio-economic harm on vulnerable local communities.

On August 17, marking the 10th anniversary of the Marikana massacre at Lonmin Platinum's mine, 24 compensation claims related to the killings remain unaddressed. The incident, which resulted in the death of 34 mineworkers and injuries to many others, continues to expose unresolved labor injustices and the failure to fulfill promised improvements in pay and working conditions.

A detailed report by Amnesty International exposes Lonmin’s gross failure to implement its legally binding Social and Labour Plan by constructing only 3 of the 5,500 promised houses for its mine workers at Marikana. The report documents misleading communications to shareholders, a litany of excuses, and a failure to address the severe housing deprivation of largely migrant workers, which has contributed to labor unrest and further deteriorated workers’ living conditions.

Amnesty International's report criticizes Lonmin for its ongoing failure to improve housing conditions for workers at the Marikana platinum mine, a breach of legally binding commitments under its Social and Labour Plan following the 2012 Marikana killings.

Following the deadly violence at the Marikana platinum mine, Lonmin executives issued an ultimatum forcing 3,000 striking miners to return to work under threat of dismissal. The company's stance, which downplayed its role in the tragic events and ignored broader human rights due diligence, has raised serious concerns about its commitment to worker rights and international human rights standards.

Lonmin, operator of the Marikana platinum mine, was heavily criticized after the 2012 Marikana Massacre for its failure to adequately address workers' grievances regarding wages, safety, and living conditions, an oversight that contributed to a tragic episode in labor history in South Africa.

In 2012, worker protests at Lonmin’s platinum mine escalated into a deadly confrontation when police opened fire, resulting in numerous fatalities. Investigations attributed the tragedy to the company’s failure to provide adequate housing and safety measures along with aggressive lobbying to address the dispute as a criminal issue rather than a labor dispute.

In 2012, Lonmin's management, through exploitative labor practices and a refusal to adequately negotiate with striking miners, helped create the conditions that led to the Marikana massacre, highlighting a severe disregard for worker rights and responsible public leadership.

The Financial Times article revisits the lasting impact of the Marikana massacre, framing the incident as a violent clash between capital and labor with marked racial overtones. The piece underscores longstanding issues in Lonmin’s treatment of workers, highlighting exploitative labor practices that culminated in tragic loss of life.