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BusinessLive reports that state-owned Alexkor and its community-based joint venture are laying off 238 people as the diamond mining company’s financial crisis deepens.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has laid the blame for the job losses squarely on the public enterprises and mineral resources departments and claims that attempts to garner their support failed. Alexkor operates alluvial diamond operations on SA’s west coast near Port Nolloth as well as allowing contractors onto its offshore concessions to mine diamonds. It employs 37 people directly, another 363 through its joint venture with the Richtersveld Mining Company, and 826 more as contractors on its marine and land operations. The public enterprises department has apparently blocked Alexkor’s efforts to add coal to its business, which would have allowed it to diversify its portfolio away from the high risks association with alluvial and marine diamond mining. “These jobs (cuts), mostly based in the small rural Richtersveld communities, will have a devastating effect on the workers, communities, business and the Richtersveld municipality,” the NUM said on Friday. In the 2018 financial year, Alexkor reported an operating loss of R14m, compared to R6m the year before.
- Read the full original of Allan Seccombe’s report on this story at BusinessLive
Read the NUM’s press statement on the job cuts at NUM News
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page