Mining Weekly reports that Pan African Resources’ Barberton Mines has lost a number of production days as a result of protest action, which the miner said was unrelated to normal industrial action.  

In a statement on Friday, Pan African said that, supported by law enforcement authorities, it would take the appropriate action to protect its employees and assets.  Interdicts have apparently been served and further criminal and civil actions will follow against certain individuals and organisations.  CEO Cobus Loots said that the miner’s current operations had been “brought to their knees by unrest and extortion”.  According to the statement, mine management had recently been made aware of several approaches with the intent of extorting money and jobs from the operations through irregular means, including the bribing of employees for irregular contracts, and circumventing tender policies and procedures for personal gain.  However, having not achieved success through extortion, the individuals and protestors resorted on Tuesday to blocking roads leading to the Barberton operations, destroying mine property, including the burning of mine vehicles, and threatening employees to prevent them from going to work.  Apparently under the guise of promises of employment, busloads of protestors had been brought in from outside the mine’s host communities.

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