Miningmx reports that Sibanye-Stillwater is to retrench 852 full time employees and contractors at its South African platinum group metals (PGM) mines, it announced on Friday.

This follows the conclusion of Section 189 negotiations held in terms of the Labour Relations Act with unions and other affected parties. Sibanye indicated in October that up to 4,905 employees were potentially affected by restructuring in the face of steep PGM price declines. Sibanye reported that it would close its mined out Simunye shaft while the Rowland and Siphumelele shafts at Marikana section have been “repositioned”. All in all 47 full time employees and 805 contractors will be retrenched, with a further 1,281 employees granted voluntary separation or early retirement packages. Natural attrition between the start of the negotiations and the present accounted for 467 less retrenched employees. A total of 351 employees accepted transfers to other shafts to fill vacancies. Other retrenchments could follow as the miner agreed to keep a marginal shaft, known as 4B, open provided there were no net losses on a monthly basis. This shaft has 1,496 employees and 54 contractors. “Should this not be sustained and subject to certain conditions the shaft will be closed,” the company indicated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by David McKay at Miningmx
• Read too, Sibanye concludes restructuring negotiations at its South African PGM operations, at Mining Weekly

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