Miners sit-in underground
“We want the leaders of our union who were suspended a month ago, to be returned to work with immediate effect. Also, no charges must be sanctioned against the workers who had a sit-in underground. We also demand the mine's human-resource manager and the employee-relations manager to be fired. We will submit our official grievances about the two managers in due course, this matter of the managers must be handled by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration,” Mankge said.
DRIEKOP – Operations were still suspended at Dilokong Chrome ASA Metals on Wednesday morning after 500 miners, who embarked on an illegal strike as they staged a sit-in underground from Friday October 23 to Tuesday October 27, had still not returned to work.
According to Mr Phillip Mankge, the National Union of Mineworkers’ (Num) regional secretary, the union met with the mine’s board of directors and the MEC for Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Mr Seaparo Sekoati on Tuesday for discussions.
“We want the leaders of our union who were suspended a month ago, to be returned to work with immediate effect. Also, no charges must be sanctioned against the workers who had a sit-in underground. We also demand the mine’s human-resource manager and the employee-relations manager to be fired. We will submit our official grievances about the two managers in due course, this matter of the managers must be handled by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration,” Mankge said.
The miners accused the managers of dismissing workers and targeting members and the leadership of the Num. They claimed the union’s chairman at Dilokong, Mr Musa Magagula and his secretary, Mr Lazarus Mlizani were unfairly suspended by the mangers.
On Wednesday when Steelburger/Lydenburg News visited the mine, operations were still at a standstill. Only the employees working at the smelter were present, while the underground workers remained outside the mine’s premises. The gates were also locked, with a heavy police presence and the security staff deployed to monitor the situation.
A community member, Mr Thabiso Maroga said they were supporting the workers and wanted to see the two managers fired.
“We are protesting with the workers as they are badly treated by the mine management, 500 people cannot suffer because of the two managers,” Maroga said. One of the employees confirmed that the protesting miners sang revolutionary songs when they were underground.
“We sang for our lives, we starved and shared the only little food we had.” The miners revealed that the food was sent to the mine via a chairlift by Num’s leadership.
A reliable source that some miners were taken to hospital after they had fallen ill while underground.
On Wednesday morning, the newspaper forwarded questions to the mine about the situation. At the time of going to print it had not responded. “We will release a statement about the whole issue in due course,” Ms Martie Kasselman, the communications officer said.
