Strike becomes ongoing problem
Protest action reignited on Wednesday, August 5. The Burgersfort Police Station deployed personnel in armoured vehicles and Nyalas on the scene last night
STEELPOORT – Just two weeks after the Phasha, Mampuru and Tukakgomoprotests ended, protest action reignited on Wednesday, August 5.
The Burgersfort Police Station deployed personnel in armoured vehicles and Nyalas on the scene last night. Protesters where burning tyres on the R555, near the D2484 turn off.
According to witnesses the police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. The protests started at 20:00 and were finally quelled at midnight.
After being dispersed by the police, the protesters preceded to the D2484 road to Tukakgomo where they burnt tyres.
At the time of posting tyres were still burning on this road, but the R555 road to Steelpoort was clear. The strike started after mine employers allegedly enforced the no work, no pay principle on employees who were unable to report on duty due to the protest actions two weeks ago.
On July 22 a team including the mine management, Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM)’s mayor Cllr Ralepane Mamekoa, Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM)’s mayor Cllr David Magabe, minister of minerals resources Adv Ngoako Ramathlodi, and Limpopo MEC for economic development, environment and tourism Mr Seaparo Sekoati resolved that the miners were going to receive their full salaries.
According to the paper’s sources in the Steelpoort area, the mines failed to implement most of the agreements reached at the meeting. Among the community’s demands was that the workers fired for going AWOL be reinstated. The communities and the mines also agreed to discontinue using recruitment agencies and to centralise offices were job opportunities will be posted before being advertised.
It was also agreed that a task team be formed that would deal with the mining squabble. It would include mine management, the communities and the members from the Department of Minerals Resources.
All the mining companies which attended the meeting promised to employ about 250 locals in the coming three months. The job opportunities ranged from permanent posts, learnerships and internships. Bursaries that were promised to be made available to the locals.
The paper’s sources revealed that a mass meeting organised by the residents that will be held at Mampuru village at 16:00 today.
