Sunday World reports that after extending the deadline for the process to re-employ mineworkers who were laid off when the former Gupta-owned Optimum Coal Mine (OCM) in Mpumalanga went into business rescue, new mine owners Liberty Coal (LC) have committed that the process to bring as many people back on board should be finalised in the next two months.

The efforts to re-employ the workers are in accordance with OCM’S business rescue plan, adopted by 88% of its creditors in September 2020. The initial submission window opened at the beginning of May 2024 and closed on 31 May, but LC then granted an extension at the beginning of June by 30 more days out of concern it may not have reached everyone in time. “Liberty Coal is now in the process of verifying all information received and will, in due course, contact all eligible employees to advise them of the next steps. Over the next two months, Liberty will continue to engage all former employees of OCM,” the company advised. It warned, however, that the process would require time and patience due to factors beyond its control. “It is important to emphasise that workers and contractors who Optimum did not directly employ in April 2019 do not fall within this category of ex-employees,” LC indicated. After the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the company negotiated an R462-million forfeiture settlement over mining rights at the OCM in Mpumalanga in February, LC pledged to save more than 500 jobs. Under the settlement deal, signed into a court order, Daniel Mcgowan, whose Templar Capital controls LC, gained ownership of OCM and its important export arm, the Optimum Coal Terminal.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Setumo Stone on page 13 of Sunday World of 30 June 2024

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page