Johannesburg - An application by NUM to stop platinum miner Lonmin from de-recognising it was struck off the roll by the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Monday.

"The matter is struck off the roll for lack of urgency. The applicant is ordered to pay the costs," Judge Rob la Grange said.

"NUM did not need to wait until it saw the notices before raising the alarm about the situation. In any event, it could have pressed for notices as soon as it was advised orally of the membership situation at the beginning of April this year," he said.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) wanted the court to stop Lonmin from de-recognising it, claiming it had detected irregularities in the transfer of its members to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).

The NUM also wanted the court to reverse the membership of those who had joined Amcu.

NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said the ruling was a minor setback.

"We are meeting at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on Wednesday. We knew from last week that the court has no jurisdiction."

He said the NUM would speak to its lawyers about what would happen to the offices it occupied at Lonmin's Marikana operations near Rustenburg, North West.

The NUM had until July 16 to recruit more members and retain its majority union status, or vacate the offices.

Sapa