EWN reports that the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) appointed at the Optimum and Koornfontein Gupta coal mines expect workers at the mines to receive salary payments by this week.
Workers last received payments in October, with mining operations having come to an end in December. The mines were placed under business rescue earlier in 2019. Optimum Coal Mine has not been supplying Eskom with coal for a year. BRP Bouwer van Niekerk advised that the workers at Optimum had been placed on special leave because production had been halted. He indicated: “The reason why the mine has not produced coal is that there was never sufficient expenditure made for the state of the mine to keep it going while the Guptas were in charge.” He said there was a separate plan to secure salaries for workers at Koornfontein, adding: “The business rescue practitioners concluded a post-commencement finance agreement and in terms of the agreement, funds need to flow early in March. As soon as it does, then payments will be made.” Van Niekerk said he was hopeful that they would be able to secure enough funding to pay salaries at the mines indefinitely.
- Read the original of the report by Kgomotso Modise & Bonga Dlulane at EWN
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page