Reuters reports that precious metals producer Sibanye Gold said its Cooke operations west of Johannesburg would remain closed on Monday, almost three weeks after workers downed tools in a wildcat strike.
The company would be conducting safety inspections on Monday. Company spokesman James Wellsted also said that 461 illegal miners had now been arrested there since the strike began. The stoppage was triggered by worker resentment at Sibanye’s drive to root out illegal miners, who had been forced to the surface because the strike deprived them of sources of food and water provided by employees. Wellsted also said that the company needed to wrap up an appeals process for around 1,500 miners who faced possible dismissal for taking part in the wildcat strike.
- Based on short reports by Ed Stoddard at Moneyweb and Business Report
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