BusinessLive reports that Impala Platinum (Implats) said a year of disruptions and missed production targets meant it could be forced to lay off nearly a quarter of its 4,500-strong workforce at its Marula mine.  

At the heart of unrest at the operation is unhappiness in six communities that are part-owners of a chrome business set up by Implats to ensure that financial benefits flowed into the region.  However, little of the money generated by the chrome company appears to have reached the broader community, with funds allegedly embezzled.  It is said that tis echoes stories around the country of empowerment transactions benefiting a few instead of broader communities, or communities fracturing amid a scramble for economic gain.

• Read this report by Allan Seccombe in full at BusinessLive (paywall access)
• Read too, Implats boss upbeat despite challenges, at Business Report

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page