Joseph Mathunjwa Explained

Joseph Mathunjwa
Birth Date:	26 May 1965
Birth Place:	Amathikulu, KwaZulu-Natal
Known For:	Marikana miners' strike^[1]
Occupation:	Trade union leader

Joseph Mathunjwa (born 26 May 1965) is the head of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).^[2]

Early life and career

Mathunjwa was born in Amathikulu, northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and his first job was as a Laboratory Attendant in 1986 at Rand Coal where he earned between R300 and R400 a month. His interest in trade unions came when he saw people being retrenched without companies making an effort to save their jobs, The first retrenchment that he fought through the Labour Court was at BHP Billiton in 2005 and he won the case that was him and AMCU's starting point.^{[3] [4]}

In August 2022, during a speech Mathunjwa said that South Africa was more functional during Apartheid under white people, than it currently is.^{[5] [6]}

Personal life

Mathunjwa is a Christian and attends the Salvation Army hence he can play the trumpet and can also read music. He is also a singer.

Notes and References

1. Web site: News24 .
2. Web site: Joseph Mathunjwa Who's Who SA . whoswho.co.za . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130819172959/http://whoswho.co.za/joseph-mathunjwa-762777 . 2013-08-19.
3. Web site: Joseph Mathunjwa .
4. Web site: Q&A: Amcu's Joseph Mathunjwa – City Press . 2014-05-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140426044701/http://www.citypress.co.za/news/qa-amcus-joseph-mathunjwa/ . 2014-04-26 .
5. Web site: Dlamini . Palesa . South Africa functioned better when whites were in charge - Mathunjwa . 2024-03-30 . City Press . en-US.
6. Web site: Yes, we’re in a mess — but why the pointless apartheid comparison? . 2024-03-30 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.