TimesLIVE reports that the request by Impala Platinum (Implats) for some employees to return to work on Tuesday was disrupted by police roadblocks preventing workers reaching the mine.  

Indicating it had been granted an exemption by the Department of Mineral Resources & Energy, the company issued a notice to some employees on Sunday to return to work during the lockdown.  But "many" workers could not get to work after being turned back at roadblocks, Implats spokesperson Johan Theron said on Tuesday.  "Regrettably, many of our employees, including essential services people, have not been able to report to work today [Tuesday] as they were stopped by the police who blocked off the mine with extensive roadblocks," Theron reported.  He could not say how many staff were requested to return to work, where they were travelling from or if they were returning from outside SA's borders.  Theron emphasised that the company’s request did not involve all employees or mean production would resume immediately as the company was focused on the safety of workers more than profit.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zingisa Mvumvu at TimesLIVE

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