Mining Weekly reports that gold mining group Pan African Resources (PAR) has confirmed the closure of its Evander 8 underground mine, in Mpumalanga, which will result in the retrenchment of 1,700 employees by the end of this month.
The company reported on Wednesday that it had concluded the consultation process with the relevant Evander Mines’ stakeholders, as determined by the so-called section 189 process, under the auspices of the CCMA. The process was initiated following continued operational losses, which have been exacerbated by the prevailing weak rand gold price. Retrenched employees would be provided with opportunities for reskilling and the group reported that it was in the process of identifying employment opportunities for retrenched employees in new, lower-cost operations at Evander, such as the new Elikhulu tailings retreatment plant and also in post-closure environmental rehabilitation works. The Elikhulu project has created about 250 new employment opportunities and PAR said it remained confident that future growth projects would create further long-term employment opportunities.
- Read this report in full at Mining Weekly
- Read too, Pan African to cut 1,700 jobs as rand gains claim scalp in Evander, at Miningmx
- And also, Saftu calls for nationalisation of mines in wake of Evander job losses, at EWN
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