Anglo to speed up retrenchment negotiations at Twickenham
“The final number will be determined after the consultation process. A number of retrenchment avoidance measures will be undertaken in an attempt to reduce the number of impacted individuals, including offers of voluntary severance packages, early retirement and opportunities for redeployment across the company," she added.
BURGERSFORT – After revealing that they will retrench workers at their Twickenham, Anglo American Platinum has this week entered into the section 189 consultations with the mine workers.
According to Anglo American’s spokeswoman, Ms Mpumi Sithole they commenced a consultation process in terms of section 189 and 189A of the Labour Relations Act on the proposed restructuring of the Twickenham Project.
Anglo also reported that it has delayed all expansionary project decisions until at least 2017. As a result of this development, the project was suspended in 2015 and the operation restructured to minimise cash losses, which included placing one of its two shafts on care and maintenance and cutting back on the number of independent contractors.
Sithole revealed that Twickenham continued to make a substantial cash loss in 2015 and such losses were difficult to be sustained by Anglo.
“Despite these considerable changes, the economic outlook remains uncertain and further intervention is necessary to ensure a sustainable long-term outlook for Anglo American Platinum and all its stakeholders,” she said.
Having considered a number of alternative options, the company has resolved to place Twickenham Project on care and maintenance.
According to Sithole, Anglo expects approximately 2 000 jobs in total to be impacted by the proposed restructuring at Twickenham and its other project, the Union Mine.
“The final number will be determined after the consultation process. A number of retrenchment avoidance measures will be undertaken in an attempt to reduce the number of impacted individuals, including offers of voluntary severance packages, early retirement and opportunities for redeployment across the company,” she added.
Meanwhile the National Union of Mine Workers (NUM) believes that Anglo American Platinum should sell its Twickenham operation to investors who are willing to mine.
“If they are not making profit, why can’t they sell the operation?” asked NUM regional secretary, Mr Philip Mankge. For more on this article grab a copy of the Steelburger/Lydenburg News this Friday.
