Source:

http://www.fin24.com/Companies/Mining/More-miners-seeking-wage-hikes-20120822

Miners working in the rock drill platinum mines that are controlled by Royal Bafokeng Platinum, do not believe that they are being payed adequately. Therefore the miners have gone on strike with the hope of getting an increase in salary. These miners then protested in order to be heard and with the hope of having their demands met.

Days before this protest, miners working for Lonmin mining revolted as well for increased salary, as well as for other territorial reasons unrelated to business. During this strike by the Lonmin mine workers,  police force was needed and 34 men were killed with 78 injured.

Thus the protest performed by the Royal Bafokeng Platinum miners was for their fallen equals, and to show that they did not fear and would continue to strike, until their demands were met.

I believe this to be a great example of a stakeholder conflict as it shows the immense range of possibilities that can take place during conflicts and even though it may be in business, it is not always nice and clean. Also this shows the extremities that can take place when things go wrong or out of control.

The fact that over an amount of money, many lives were lost displays the true grittiness of business, business ethics, and the lack of it in many business environments. This truly displays the balance between profitability and ethics that managers in a firm have to make, as a raise in salary would reduce profits, but deaths partially due to the business would not have occurred. Thus a very important question would be: In business, is it worth trying to maximise profits at any cost?