This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
SowetanLive reports that former employees of the closed Lily Mine and other community members have been camping outside its gate demanding that the new owners reopen the mine and hire them.
The gold mine outside Barberton was owned by Vantage Goldfields when it was forced to shut and lay off over 1,300 employees after a crown pillar collapse on 5 February 2016. The bodies of three employees, who were buried underground in the collapse, have never been recovered. Subsequent to that, the mine went into business rescue. Now a new owner, the Sikhula Sisonke Empowerment Corporation (SSC) group, claims it is being delayed from reopening the mine. SCC's Fred Arendse accused Vantage Gold Fields of holding on to the mine's keys. "As for us we were ready to start re-employing the miners and start working towards finding the bodies of the three miners who disappeared. But Vantage hasn't given us the share certificate with its directors... and all the documents needed when something is being sold," Arendse claimed. Black-owned SSC received funding from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and paid compensation to the families of the three miners who disappeared. But Vantage CEO Michael McChesney said the company cancelled the agreement with the SSC group after Arendse allegedly failed to raise the required money. Community members said they would not be leaving the Lily Mine gates.
- Read the full original of Mandla Khoza’s report on the above story at SowetanLive
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page